In memory of sapper Sergeant Yevheniy Basaraba (call sign "Bars").

Yevheniy was born and raised in a small village called Zelenaya Lipa near the Dniester River in the Chernivtsi region. He performed well in school, had many friends, and shared his last with those close to him.

- Zhenya was very quick and lively from a young age. We live close to the forest, and sometimes while we’re working in the garden, it seems like our son is nearby, but then after a while, we notice he’s gone. He would come back with mushrooms he had collected from the woods. He loved to wander around quickly; he was such an active boy, – recalls his mother, Lesya Dmytrivna.

After school, Yevheniy joined the military service, serving in the 95th Air Assault Brigade in Zhytomyr. Upon returning from the army, he tried to establish his own life. He went abroad for work, bought a car there, and planned to set up a home, start a family, and give his parents grandchildren...

Before the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, the young man returned to his native village from Germany. Together with his father, he went to the military recruitment office. His older brother Basarab was not accepted into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while Yevheniy was immediately mobilized. He became a sapper in the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Mark Bezruchko, where he defended Avdiivka for a long time. Despite the harsh conditions of war, Yevheniy always remained cheerful, positive, and never complained, making an effort to uplift his comrades.

- We often called and texted each other. One time he called saying: “Mommy, everything is so good here that we’ll soon reach Moscow!”. His fellow soldiers later shared how great of a friend he was. In his last video, he tells his comrades: “Guys, I have to live because Mom really wants a granddaughter.” But he never got the chance to start a family…,” says Lesya Dmytrivna.

The hardest battles for Yevheniy and his comrades took place in the autumn and winter of 2022. During that time, the enemy deployed significant forces to occupy Avdiivka. Thanks to the courage and fearlessness of soldiers like "Bars", the Russians were unable to achieve their goal for a long time. In early December, Yevheniy was promoted to sergeant and became a group commander. For his bravery in battle, he was awarded the medal "For the Defense of Avdiivka."

As the Hero's mother recounts, just a few days before his death, Yevheniy returned from a very challenging mission. During that time, the group of soldiers he commanded as a newly appointed sergeant fell into an enemy ambush. After a fierce fight but without losses, the commander managed to lead his men to safety. He had time to talk to his mother, rejoicing that everyone had made it out alive. However, after a while, Yevheniy and his comrades had to go on another mission, from which he never returned.

- Just on Monday, he sent us a package by mail. He sent his medal and a new uniform. They told him that he would soon be transferred to another position, to a quieter place. So he asked us to pick up the package, and when he was at the new location, for us to send him those things. On Wednesday, I went to the post office, and I already felt something was wrong. I picked up the package, but my heart was tightening; I couldn’t eat or drink. I called and texted – all without a reply. The next day, his comrades posted his photo and wrote that Zhenya was no longer with us…,” Lesya Dmytrivna cries.

This happened on December 28, 2022. Yevheniy Basarab died in battles near Avdiivka. He was only 25 years old.

The warrior is survived by his parents and a younger brother. Yevheniy was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage III degree and the Honorary Award of the Chernivtsi Regional Council "For Services to Bukovina" (posthumously).

- We wanted the memory of our Zhenya to live on for a long time. But he is not forgotten. His comrades from all over Ukraine come to visit us – from Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Cherkasy. And they all remember. They call, refer to me as "Mom Lesya". At the same time, it hurts and brings me joy that they call me that and do not forget our son, – adds Yevheniy's mother.

She says she is grateful to God that there is a grave for her son. Because she cannot imagine how difficult it is for those parents whose children are considered missing.

Yevheniy Basarab was buried in the village of Zelenaya Lipa, within the Klishkivtsi community. In honor of the soldier, a street has also been renamed. In memory of their son, the parents made a good deed for the school he attended: they equipped a gym.

Eternal glory and honor to the Hero!

Photos from social networks and provided by the family