Загинули за Україну: випускники Льотної академії Андрій Грядюшко та Сергій Довгенко

Abstract

This article commemorates the lives and heroic sacrifices of Andriy Hryadyushko (2000–2022) and Serhiy Dovgenko (1999–2023), two exemplary 2020 graduates of the Ukrainian State Flight Academy. Classmates in the "Emergency Management and Aviation Security" program, they were bound by a steadfast friendship and a shared commitment to the defense of Ukraine. Both completed the Academy’s military department training, earning the rank of reserve junior lieutenants before the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion. Immediately following the outbreak of major hostilities, both young men demonstrated unwavering civic consciousness. Hryadyushko, having recently returned from working abroad, promptly joined the territorial defense before his formal mobilization, reflecting a profound dedication to his homeland. The study details their individual military paths. Lieutenant Andriy Hryadyushko (callsign "Dushman"), a platoon commander in the 4th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade, demonstrated extraordinary resilience by successfully enrolling in the Academy’s Master's program in September 2022 while actively engaged in combat operations. As a leader, he was defined by his primary directive: prioritizing the preservation of his personnel's lives above all else. He fought in the most intense sectors of the Donetsk front, including Avdiivka and Pisky, and was killed on October 17, 2022, after delivering critical ammunition and fighting alongside his soldiers during a combat mission in the Bakhmut district. Lieutenant Serhiy Dovgenko, remembered for his exceptional athletic achievements and active participation in national patriotic academic events, applied his highly disciplined character to his military service. Serving as a zenith missile platoon commander in the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Prince Roman the Great, his combat journey spanned multiple hotspots in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, including Soledar and Kupiansk, until his tragic death on January 11, 2023, following enemy shelling. Posthumously, Serhiy Dovgenko was honored with the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi (3rd Class), and Andriy Hryadyushko received the "For the Defense of Avdiivka" distinction. The article emphasizes the importance of the Virtual Memorial and commemorative installations unveiled at the Academy in June 2024, which serve as vital tools for preserving historical memory. The academic environment that initially brought them together now stands as a space for perpetual remembrance. Their story is presented as a profound testament to the role of professional aviation education in forging the character of modern Ukrainian officers, underscoring that true leadership and patriotism are cultivated through a synthesis of rigorous training and deep-rooted moral values.