Senior Soldier Volodymyr Ponka, call sign “Chip,” was killed on August 24, 2023, in the Serebrianske Forestry area near the city of Kreminna in the Luhansk region. During an assault on enemy positions, he sustained fatal blast injuries as a result of enemy mortar shelling. The warrior had turned 22 in June.
Volodymyr was born in the city of Dokuchaievsk. He studied at the local school. In 2014, together with his mother, he left the occupied city and moved to Volnovakha, where he completed his schooling. In 2020, he earned a degree in floristry from the V. Graff Velykoanadol Forestry Professional College. In 2022, he graduated from Petro Vasylenko Kharkiv National Technical University of Agriculture with a bachelor’s degree in Woodworking and Furniture Technologies and qualified as a furniture technology engineer. He planned to continue his studies in a master’s program, but instead decided to defend his homeland. While studying, he worked as a waiter and later as a real estate agent. In his free time, he enjoyed playing football. He dreamed of starting a family and raising children.
After the start of the full-scale invasion, Volodymyr and his mother were once again forced to search for shelter after Volnovakha was occupied. He moved to Kyiv. On January 18, 2023, he joined the ranks of the 12th Special Forces Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov.” After completing training, he became a senior machine gunner and went to the front line.
“My only son was always smiling, hardworking, kind, caring, and responsible. He was always ready to help his friends. We became displaced persons twice. In 2014, Volodymyr could not defend his homeland because he was still underage, but after losing his home for the second time, he decided to volunteer to defend Ukraine. Vova dreamed of returning to his native Dokuchaievsk…” said Viktoriia Ponka.
The National Guardsman was posthumously awarded the Order “For Courage,” III degree.
The young Hero was buried at St. Nicholas Cemetery in Zaporizhzhia.
Volodymyr is survived by his mother, grandmother, grandfather, girlfriend, friends, and brothers-in-arms.
At 9:00 a.m. — the national minute of silence. Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial Heroes platform honor the fallen defenders from Donetsk region.