Oleksandr Bronnikov, a former basketball player and graduate of Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture, died at age 41 while defending Ukraine in combat on August 24, 2023 - the country's Independence Day.
Bronnikov began his service back in 2014 as a volunteer, long before the full-scale invasion. Despite suffering injuries and a concussion during his early military career, he continued serving as an officer at the Kropyvnytskyi city military commissariat.
"Physical education was more than just his profession - it became his military identity," noted fellow soldiers who gave him the callsign "Fizruk" (Physical Education Teacher).
His commitment to Ukraine's defense earned him two Orders "For Courage" - the first awarded for his participation in battles near the "Yuzhna" mine in Donetsk region. Bronnikov's military career evolved as he served first as an acting commander of a motorized infantry platoon in the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, and later as a reconnaissance section commander.
The fatal engagement occurred near Cherneshchyna in the Borovsk district of Kharkiv region, where Bronnikov died in a firefight. By that point, he had been defending his country for nearly a decade.
Interestingly, throughout his military service, Bronnikov never abandoned his sporting roots. His callsign reflected the physical training background that shaped both his civilian and military life.
He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The funeral service took place on August 31, 2023, in Bila Tserkva, Kyiv region, where he had made his home with his family. What legacy does this athlete-turned-defender leave behind? Perhaps the most powerful one possible - a life dedicated to protecting his homeland, right until the end.