A formidable athlete, a player for the Dnipro Rugby Club, and a defender of Mariupol, Junior Lieutenant Oleh Kristiev (call sign “Bulgarian”) was killed on May 8, 2022, during the defense of the Azovstal steel plant. He was forever 29 years old.
Oleh was born in the city of Dnipro. He studied at local school No. 17 and later trained as a welder before earning a higher degree in aviation engineering from Kharkiv Aviation Institute. Beyond his passion for rugby, he was fascinated by automobile restoration, especially working on the wooden components of classic Mercedes cars. He dreamed of turning this passion into a professional business. At one point, he worked on the railway. In 2011, he was conscripted for military service in the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade.
When the Russian-Ukrainian war first broke out in 2014, Oleh could not stand by. In 2015, he joined the Azov Regiment and relocated to Mariupol, where his unit was stationed. He fought in Donbas, continuously honing his military skills and serving as a sniper.
At the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, “Bulgarian” and his comrades were in Mariupol, where they bravely defended the city from the invaders. At Azovstal, he fought in the third sniper unit of the Special Forces group. When the plant was besieged, he sustained injuries but continued to fight.
On May 8, 2022, Russian forces dropped an FAB-3000 aerial bomb on the Azovstal steel plant, piercing the ceilings of two bunkers. One of them, “Store 20,” had been converted into a field hospital. The explosion killed between 50 and 150 fighters and medics, including Oleh Kristiev. He was near the exit, trying to escape through a ventilation shaft, but lost consciousness due to carbon monoxide poisoning and suffocated. Comrades who survived attempted to dig out the fallen, but detonating munitions left no chance.
Oleh’s wife, Kateryna, last spoke with him just hours before he was killed. She wrote, “Oleh, stay safe,” to which he reassured her that he was fine and told her not to worry. A few days later, she learned of his death from his comrades. The identification of his body took three months. “Olezhechka was the best thing that ever happened to me. He was a kind and loving husband, my best friend, and an incredible person… I miss him terribly,” Kateryna shared.
For his service and bravery, Oleh Kristiev was awarded state honors: in March 2022, he received the Order “For Courage” III Class, and posthumously, the Order “For Courage” II Class.
He was laid to rest on July 7, 2022, at Krasnopil Cemetery in his hometown.
Eternal memory and glory to the Hero. He fought for Ukraine until his last breath.