On July 28, a memorial event was held in memory of Oleksii "Parus" (Sail) Tytarenko, a lieutenant (posthumously) of the 109th Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His life was cut short on May 7, 2023, due to a mine-blast trauma near the village of Sukha Balka in Donetsk region. The soldier is remembered fondly by his comrades-in-arms, friends, and colleagues.
Oleksii Tytarenko was not only a military man; being a fighter was just one of the many sides of his personality, all polished with fantastic skill. He was also a religious scholar, teacher, author of more than 50 scientific publications, analyst, family man, and friend. Throughout his life, he changed several professions, excelling in each and earning the respect of his colleagues while making many new friends.
His fellow religious scholar, Oksana Horkusha, admitted that she often subconsciously prepares for phone conversations with Oleksii. She still wants to exchange ideas and hear his reflections.
Oleksii Tytarenko taught at the Department of Political Analysis and Forecasting at the National Academy of Public Administration under the President of Ukraine. Later, he worked as a Chief Consultant at the Directorate for National and Humanitarian Policy of the Office of the President of Ukraine for five years. His colleagues who attended the event noted his professionalism and deep analytical skills. He was one of the people who predicted a full-scale invasion, and he immediately warned his colleagues that he would return to the army.
Oleksii participated in the ATO from 2014 to 2015. During this time, he carried out combat missions as part of the Cherkasy Automobile Battalion. After February 24, 2022, he served in an engineering unit, was promoted, and consistently engaged in further study. His comrades-in-arms remember his leadership with gratitude.
The event included a prayer for all the fallen soldiers of Ukraine, which the chaplains read over the "Descent from the Cross" icon from the Church of St. Dmytro Rostovsky in Makariv village in the Kyiv region. The holy image witnessed the russian occupation of the town in February-March 2022 and was even damaged when a shell fragment hit the saint’s face. Today, the icon, bearing witness to the enemy’s cruelty, is displayed at the museum exhibition "Ukraine—Crucifixion."
The soldier’s wife, Vita, a servicewoman, said, "Remembering and discussing our fallen heroes helps to strengthen our collective unity through their stories." Oleksii’s "Parus" (Sail) continues to be carried by the wind— the wind of our memories. May the sail of memory never be furled.
