In memory of Junior Sergeant Valeriy Rents, commander of the combat vehicle.

Valeriy was born in 1981 in Kazakhstan. He grew up in a loving family, where he had two younger sisters whom he always protected. Thus, he became not only a brother to them but also a support in their future.

“He was a caring son to his parents and a wonderful brother to us, his sisters. He always supported, helped, cared for us, and sought to protect us from all troubles,” - shared Valeriy's sister, Svitlana.

The woman recalls that during his school years, Valeriy had a genuine passion for drawing and possessed a remarkable talent for it; teachers entrusted him with decorating various school celebrations and events. Svitlana says this was a gift from nature, as he never received professional training in the arts.

“Besides drawing, my brother was also fond of reading. After classes, he often visited the library and always brought home another interesting book,” - Svitlana recalls warmly.

Later, Valeriy's family decided to move to Ukraine and settled in Mykolaiv Oblast. The young man immediately went to work at a local agricultural enterprise as a tractor driver, quickly mastering this new profession. Eventually, he gained the necessary qualifications.

Valeriy's sister recounts that he was still quite young when he decided to start his own family. Despite his youth, he and his wife lovingly raised their daughter.

“The girl inherited her father's talent for drawing. He taught her how to fish and always took her with him to the river and the forest. He always found interesting ideas for leisure activities and topics for conversation. He connected well with all the children, which is why he was loved by everyone,” - says Svitlana.

For his daughter, Valeriy personally built a playground near their house so she could play there with other children. To his beloved sister, he became like a father. Svitlana remembers how he helped her with homework, taught her to ride a bike, and showed her the sea for the first time.

Although Valeriy was not a native Ukrainian, in 2015 he voluntarily went to defend his homeland by joining the 79th Brigade. Similarly, when the full-scale invasion by Russia began, he immediately enlisted as a volunteer and fought with the 59th Brigade.

“My brother always said: ‘Who if not me? How can I leave the guys alone? It will be hard for them without me,’” - Svitlana recounts.

According to her, Valeriy knew he would be useful in the war because he had good training and experience. His comrades respected him and said that when he stood guard, everyone could sleep peacefully, as he was a responsible and reliable friend.

Valeriy started his service as a soldier but later became a commander. During another intense shelling, a tragedy occurred, resulting in the deaths and injuries of the unit commanders. Therefore, Valeriy took command as he had extensive knowledge of military equipment, was an accurate sniper, a brave fighter, and held several military specialties.

On February 26, 2023, the family learned that Valeriy had died in battle in the village of Nevelske, Donetsk Oblast, during the assault on enemy positions.

“How could this happen? After all, we all believed that our beloved would surely escape misfortune, as had happened before in his life. But unfortunately, not this time. He was supposed to endure and surely live to see Victory with us. He had so much optimism and plans for the future,” - recalls the soldier's sister.

Honor to the Hero!

Photo from the family archive