Serhii Pavlichenko

Major Serhii Pavlichenko, known by the call sign Bronia (“Bronia”), was killed on the night of July 29, 2022, in a russian war crime committed at the Olenivka prison, where Ukrainian POWs were being held. Fellow defenders said he was at the very epicenter of the blast.

Serhii was 34 years old and was born in the town of Prymorsk, Zaporizhzhia region. A trained lawyer, he worked in the enforcement service before the war. One of the first to respond when russia invaded in 2014, Serhii joined the Azov Special Operations Detachment and later became commander of the unit’s repair company.

His wife, Rusudana Pavlichenko, shared that Azov's values and spirit deeply resonated with him: unity among fighters, modern military thinking, sincerity, and an unshakable love for Ukraine.

“I saw how he came into his own—he truly found his place. He was where his soul and heart had led him. During his service, Serhii fought in the Shyrokyne offensive and battles near Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, and along the Svitlodarsk arc,” she said.

When russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Bronia was stationed in Urzuf. He took part in the defense of Mariupol before being captured and taken prisoner. Rusudana recalled that the news of the surrender order triggered a storm of anxiety, doubt, and complex thoughts. But her husband reassured her—this was an honorable captivity, with promises of humane treatment and eventual exchange.

“His last messages were about his dreams—how he’d walk our son to his first day of school. He wrote how deeply he loved us, how he missed his parents, how he battled constant hunger, how he dreamed of just one spoonful of sugar…” she added.

On May 25, 2023, a farewell ceremony for the fallen defender was held at the Kyiv Crematorium. Two days later, his ashes were laid to rest in Cherkasy, where the Pavlichenko family had settled after the full-scale invasion began.

Serhii is survived by his wife, daughter, and young son.

Source: Memorial

Contributors: Sophia Yakivtsiv and Tetiana Spindel (translators), Liena Shulika (designer)