An athlete, a performer, a warrior, a fighter of an elite unit. Denys Strunnikov, known as “Dio,” gave his life for Ukraine in the Donetsk region in August 2025. He was only 29…
From an early age, Denys was curious about everything: new people, new activities, new places. He was always on the move, exploring the world and eager to try something new. He taught himself to roller skate, mastered the bicycle, and from the age of four became a true “son of the arena” at the circus where his mother, Tetiana, worked. He was always athletic, well-trained, and determined. He practiced acrobatics and gymnastics and showed interest in many other sports.
His childhood unfolded behind the scenes of the circus and in constant travel: the boy frequently changed cities and schools—sometimes five to seven times a year. Jugglers, acrobats, riders—Denys was fascinated by everything and absorbed the skill and experience of everyone around him.
Denys grew up without a father, and his grandmother, Liudmyla Vyacheslavivna, helped raise him. She lived in Crimea—then still not occupied—in Alushta, where the boy began the first grade of school. Later, when he was about twelve, the young man befriended lifeguards at the local beach. These strong and courageous people taught him how to save lives in the water and how to provide first aid. It was there that he further honed his swimming skills—he was not afraid even of a stormy sea.
His love of movement and risk gradually grew into a calling. Denys began performing in the circus arena at a young age. He toured with the circus in various countries—Israel, Germany, Estonia, and Kazakhstan. Later, he graduated from a variety and circus arts college and performed in complex acrobatic acts.
Yet wherever he was and whatever he did, there was always a sense in his heart that something greater awaited him. Despite his circus career, Denys had another dream—to serve. Since his school years he had told his mother that he wanted to work in the police. He was drawn to the sense of order and responsibility, to the opportunity to help others. Life, however, took a different turn: he trained as a massage therapist and worked as a rehabilitation specialist.
War burst into Denys’s life as early as 2014. He was on tour in Luhansk when pro-Russian separatists began seizing Ukrainian administrative buildings and military units, throwing the city into chaos. The young man ran to see what was happening—still very young, driven by a childlike curiosity. Even then, the defender within him awakened, but his mother, protecting her only son, pleaded with him to wait. After all, he was only seventeen.
He waited. Years passed. There was work, family, ordinary life. Yet the inner calling did not fade. In September 2024, Denys made his choice—he became a volunteer, joining the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders. He entered the elite special unit “Artan” of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine—one of the units tasked with carrying out exceptionally difficult combat missions.
His comrades remember Denys as a person with a special sense of humor. At the same time, they say he was extraordinarily responsible—many predicted a brilliant military career for him. The discipline of the circus had taught him the most important lesson: the value of partnership. In the arena, as in battle, you are responsible for the life of the person beside you.
Denys Strunnikov fought his final battle on 22 August 2025 near Novomykhailivka in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region. After completing their mission, the group was withdrawing toward a tree line when they came under mortar fire. Their vehicle was hit, and the fighters scattered. A deadly 120-millimeter mortar round exploded right next to Denys. Severe wounds, unbearable pain… Denys fought for his life for another twelve hours. His comrades did not abandon him—they carried him through hell on their shoulders, just as Denys himself had once carried wounded friends from the battlefield. They retrieved him and did not leave him to the enemy, but time and his severe injuries left no chance.
Denys “Dio” Strunnikov returned home “on his shield,” in a sealed coffin. He was laid to rest on 3 November 2025 at the Pantheon of Heroes in Ternopil, at the Mykulynetske Cemetery.
He was posthumously named an Honorary Citizen of Ternopil and received distinctions from his native Ivano-Frankivsk and from the Main Intelligence Directorate. The Hero’s life was short, yet bright and full—as if he had always been in a hurry to accomplish more than time allowed. And now he remains in memory as he always was: smiling, radiant, and a little restless—a person whose life was truly real.
A deep bow and eternal memory to the Hero.