The Death of Serhii Dyshko
Senior Sergeant Serhii Dyshko was killed on May 8, 2022, while carrying out a combat mission at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. A court confirmed his death in September 2022, but his body was not identified until April 2025. Dyshko was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, 3rd Class.
His Life and Service
Serhii Dyshko was born on January 28, 1999, in the village of Vetly, Kamian-Kashyrskyi district. He completed nine grades of school in 2014. On May 18, 2018, he signed a contract for military service with the Lutsk Border Guard Detachment and was transferred to the Donetsk Border Guard Detachment in 2020. He was stationed in the town of Sartana, located 17 km from Mariupol, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion. Sartana came under fire on February 25, 2022, and was fully occupied by early March.
His family last heard his voice on May 3, 2022; his phone went out of service the next day. On May 9, an unknown major called his mother to inform her of her son's death. A colonel of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service from Kyiv confirmed the death to his sister, Iryna, on May 12. The evacuation of Mariupol's defenders began on May 16, 2022.
A fellow border guard and witness, Stepan, recounted that they were on duty together on the plant's second floor at 8:00 PM on May 8. At approximately 9:00 PM, Serhii Dyshko was killed by a Russian sniper. The Liubeshiv District Court officially established the fact of his death on September 20, 2022. His body was finally identified in April 2025, and he was buried in his home village. He is survived by his mother, two brothers, and three sisters.
Serhii Dyshko served in the 'Sartana' Border Service Department of the 1st Border Detachment, part of the Eastern Regional Directorate of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service. Colonel Padytel remarked:
“We are in inhuman conditions, but we continue to defend our native land!”
This statement underscores the extraordinary courage and dedication of service members who persist in their duties despite immense hardship. The battle for Mariupol and the Azovstal plant became one of the most brutal and symbolic sieges of the early stages of the war.
The death of Serhii Dyshko is another tragic page in a war that has claimed the lives of countless Ukrainian soldiers. His case highlights not only the immediate consequences of combat but also the prolonged and complex process of identifying the fallen, which can take years. This situation emphasizes the importance of supporting and remembering the heroism of military personnel who risk their lives daily to defend their country.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues to take a heavy toll on its defenders, the stories of fallen soldiers like Serhii Dyshko resonate deeply. His sacrifice mirrors that of other brave servicemen, such as Senior Soldier Serhiy Sinchuk, who was also lost in the line of duty. Understanding their experiences helps to honor their memory and sheds light on the ongoing struggles faced by military families.