Last year social networks and mass media highlighted the photo of the girl, who was sitting with a medal of her dead father. It was 3 year old Sasha, whos

Last year social networks and mass media highlighted the photo of the girl, who was sitting with a medal of her dead father. It was 3 year old Sasha, whose photo was taken by Oleksandr Kozlovskiy during the ceremony of opening the Alley of Glory. The girl held the medal “For courage” of the third grade of the borderguard Andriy Matvienko. This award was a memory of her father, who will never embrace her. He will always be young, cheerful and smiling for her.

Andriy Matvienko served in the Donetsk borderguard detachment. He was one of the first volunteers who went to the ATO zone. Before the military service he worked in the bank sphere. Among the combat comrades he was the soul of the company. He collaborated with the volunteer organizations and organized logistics delivery for the borderguards.

In august 2014 his group carried out  the mission concerning the meeting of our unit, that was trying to burst from the checkpoint “Dovzhanskiy”. Russian mercenaries were sheltering ukrainian unit for a long term. There were many wounded among our soldiers. Matvienko`s group provided medical care, stopped the bleeding and organized the evacuation near The Saur Mogila. After the rescue operation, his car was blown up by the radio-controlled underground mine. He was hardly injured an evacuated to the field hospital.

On the 7^th of august 2014 Andriy Matvienko died. According to the President`s decree he was awarded with the medal “For courage” of the third grade. This award was taken by his daughter. Her father will always be the hero for the millions of ukrainians!

His wife Iryna told the journal “Kordon”, that his comrades support her family.

Today in Kirovograd, the regional  agency of the Ukrainian Borderguard Union with the help of the Administration of the SBGSU organized the meeting in honor of  Andriy Matvienko. The memorial plate was installed on the territory of the Kirovograd economic institute, where Andriy studied. Also one of the streets was renamed after him.

The chief deputy of the head of the SBGSU expressed condolence to his family and said, that our borderguards sacrificed not in vain.

Honor to the heroes!