"MOLOT"

Oleh Sadyk, known by the call sign “Molot,” was killed on June 13, 2023, while carrying out a combat mission on the Zaporizhzhia front. He was 29 years old. Oleh was born in the village of Leliaky in the Kyiv region. From childhood he was involved in sports and took part in school olympiads. As he grew older, he competed in adult sporting events, winning medals and first places in athletics, boxing, kickboxing, and combat sambo. He graduated from the Kyiv Slavic University and the National Academy of Internal Affairs with a degree in Law. He was also deeply interested in history. “During his final exam at the university, he got a question about the history of the Ukrainian Cossacks, and with his captivating answer he impressed the entire panel. In general, the Cossacks were his favorite topic. Close friends even called him ‘Kozak,’ because that was one hundred percent him,” says his wife, Stella. In early July 2014, Oleh completed a three-day basic fighter course and immediately went to the front. A week later, he took part in combat operations as part of the volunteer battalion “Shakhtarsk.” He fought in Marinka and Pisky, went through the Ilovaisk pocket, and fought in Shyrokyne. From October 2014 to January 2015, as part of the volunteer battalion “Sviata Mariia,” he defended the outskirts of Mariupol, Pavlopil, and Chermalyk. In 2015, Oleh joined “Azov.” He was in the hottest areas: Marinka, Pavlopil, Shyrokyne, the Svitlodarsk Bulge, and Zolote. He served as commander of the 2nd squad of the 3rd Special-Purpose Reconnaissance Combat Group of the Separate Special Purpose Detachment “Azov.” From February 24, 2022, he went through the hell of Mariupol and Azovstal. On May 18, by order of the senior military leadership, Molot—together with other fighters—was forced to surrender into captivity. First, he was held in Olenivka, and later transferred to the Donetsk pre-trial detention center. On September 21, 2022, during a major prisoner exchange, Oleh returned home. After a short rehabilitation, he returned to service. He was the commander of the 1st Special-Purpose Reconnaissance Platoon, trained a new combat group, and led them in battle. During one mission, Molot was wounded and underwent two surgeries. But a week later he was back on the front line—because he could not stay away from his fighters for long. His brothers-in-arms often said that, despite his young age, Oleh was a role model for many. He took great responsibility for his group and was like a father to them. When others lost hope, he would say: “Nothing is in vain!” Oleh received a number of state and departmental awards: the breast badge “Cossack Cross,” 3rd Class; the distinction “For Valor and Fidelity”; the breast badge “Sector M: For the Defense of Mariupol”; the medal “War Veteran”; the President of Ukraine’s distinction “For Participation in the ATO”; the breast badge “For Valorous Service”; the Order “For Courage,” 3rd Class; and the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd Class. “Molot. One such person in tens of thousands. I had the honor of knowing him. A top-level professional, a skilled methodologist in fire training, tactics, and military craft in general—a commander. A person of both the old and the new special forces school; I met only a handful like him,” wrote earlier about his brother-in-arms Molot the fallen warrior Artem Korthondzhiia. “Noble, responsible, brave, strong in spirit, very capable, curious, empathetic, dreamy, and full of life. A beloved son, husband, and father,” this is how Oleh Sadyk is remembered by his wife. The defender was laid to rest in Kyiv on June 18, 2023. To preserve his memory, in his native village of Leliaky, the street where Oleh Sadyk grew up was named after him. He is survived by his wife, son, and mother.