He Died in Donetsk Oblast: Paramedic Oleksandr Tucha bid Farewell in Pervomaiskyi. Photo

On Feb. 4, in Pervomaiskyi in Kharkiv Oblast, people bid farewell to the Hero Oleksandr Tucha. He died defending Ukraine from the Russian invaders.

A memorial service for a fallen soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was held on the square in front of the Khimik Palace of Culture. The Hero was buried at the Pervomaiskyi city cemetery.

Oleksandr Anatoliiovych Tucha “Dok Kai” (Jan. 20, 1973 – Jan. 20, 2023), born in Kharkiv Oblast, was a junior sergeant of the 49th Separate Rifle Battalion “Carpathian Sich”. Before the war, he worked as an electrical engineer.

Oleksandr voluntarily attended paramedic courses and started rescuing soldiers on the battlefield in 2015. Served in different units and different locations.

In the fall of 2021, as part of the Ukrainian voluntary organization of paramedics Hospitallers, Oleksandr served in the Joint Forces Operation zone, in particular near Mariupol. He signed the second contract as a reservist of the Territorial Defence Forces and was appointed to the position of combat medic of the sapper platoon of the 121st battalion of the territorial defense.

On Feb. 24, 2022, he joined the defense of Kharkiv as a platoon combat medic. Died near the village of Terny, Lyman district, Donetsk Oblast, during the tank attack.

Oleksandr is survived by his wife and daughter.

“They don’t die. Even when they give their lives, they do it for our freedom and the independence of our country. Once again we gather here to pay tribute to our heroes and each time face the pain of loss and the understanding that this war is not over. And that is why they are our heroes. Those guys are now at the front. Those who, unfortunately, will not return to their relatives. All of them put their efforts and their lives into the foundation of independent Ukraine. Today, it is very symbolic that our Hero, Oleksandr, served in the Carpathian Sich unit, which was formed in a different part of our country. This is a symbol of the fact that Ukraine is indivisible and we will defend our borders no matter where the invasion comes, no matter where enemies are waiting for us. No one knows how long this war will last and what losses lie ahead, but we also understand that only our resilience, will and ruthlessness towards our enemies is the key to victory. We hold on, we will be steadfast, we pay tribute to our heroes, we support our fighters on the fronts,” said Anton Orekhov, First Deputy Mayor of Pervomaiskyi.

Text by Denys Glushko