Defending Ukraine from Russian invaders, football player Oleksandr Strilets was killed.
He was born on 7 November 1986 in the village of Orzhiv, Rivne region. Since childhood, he has loved football, which has accompanied him throughout his life. Oleksandr played for teams “Fialka” (Zorya), “ROKO-Zorya” (Orzhiv), “Arsenal-Fakel” (Obariv), “Klevan-1-Diana” and “Klevan-Orzhiv”. The last club he played for was “Orion” from Hrabiv. At the same time, he successfully worked as an entrepreneur.
After the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, he voluntarily stood up to defend Ukraine. At first, he served in a local unit. According to his comrades, Oleksandr formed a unit, taught people how to handle weapons and work at checkpoints. Then he joined the National Guard, after which he joined the legendary “Azov” Regiment, where he became a commander. He wanted not just to serve, but to be on the front line, in the hottest spots.
On the last day of summer, 31 August 2023, 36-year-old Oleksandr Strilets, together with his comrades, was performing a combat operation near Kreminna, Luhansk region, during which he, unfortunately, died… On 6 September, the Hero was laid to rest in his home village at the stadium where he played football. The farewell ceremony for Oleksandr Strilets, the fallen Hero of Ukraine, has been attended by his family, friends and comrades. At home, Oleksandr’s wife and daughter were waiting for him to the last…