Sergeant Stepan Yeromenko was killed on May 11, 2022, at the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol. At 2:30 p.m., while carrying out a combat mission, he came under an enemy airstrike and sustained fatal blast injuries. He was 31 years old.Stepan was born in Mariupol, where he studied at School No. 51. He graduated from Mariupol State University with a degree in international relations. At the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, he defended his hometown and was wounded. Two years later, he became a leading specialist at the canine center of the National Police of Ukraine in Mariupol. From April 2021, he served as the head of the 1st canine group of the canine platoon in the 12th Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.
“Stepan was my only child. I named him after my father. My parents died in a car accident four years before Stepan was born. I told him a lot about them, and he really wanted to be like his grandfather. When he was 8, I buried my husband, so I raised my son alone. Stepan grew up kind, fair, and responsible. He had a great sense of humor that everyone loved. He always helped those in need, which is why he had many friends. From childhood, he loved animals—especially dogs and cats—and they felt it. Whenever he walked home from school, some cat would follow him. We always had dogs at home because I am a professional canine specialist. This passion was passed on to my son. From the age of 16, he helped me at the training ground, attended seminars, and became a dog training instructor in various disciplines. He was a member of the Ukrainian Kennel Union. Although he had a degree in political science, his heart belonged to canine work—and I supported that. Together, we achieved great results, organized events, exhibitions, and competitions,” said his mother, Alla Yeromenko.
From the first hours of the full-scale invasion, Stepan defended Mariupol. From April, he was at Azovstal together with other defenders and 14 service dogs.
“The last time I spoke to my son was on May 7. He said: ‘It’s very hard, constant shelling. Since the end of April, we have had no food or water. Everything we had, we shared with civilians here. The hardest part is the lack of water—we collect rainwater. But I’m holding on because I love all of you very much.’ He meant me, his wife, and his daughter Sofia. She was born on May 11, 2021. Stepan last saw her when she was nine months old. And exactly a year later, on May 11, he was killed. We learned about it at the end of the month, on our own. I started calling the hotline when prisoners were being evacuated from Azovstal. That’s when I was told he had died from an air bomb. His body has still not been returned… His beloved dog Figaro seemed to sense something before the full-scale invasion—tears would fall from his eyes for no reason. Two weeks before Stepan’s death, he stayed close to me all the time. I felt constant тревога, especially in early May. I just wanted to hug my son tightly and never let him go. Having a son like mine was a blessing. Now he is a guardian angel for our Sofia,” his mother added.
Stepan Yeromenko was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,” 3rd class.
He is survived by his mother, his wife, and his daughter Sofia.
At 9:00 a.m. — the national minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial of Heroes platform honor fallen defenders from Donetsk region.