Wednesday12 February 2025
podrobnosti.org.ua

In memory of soldier Yurii Pododymenko (call sign "Zhenikh").

In my recent conversations with my mom, I talked about my upcoming wedding.
В память о солдате Юрии Пододименко (позывной «Жених»)

Yuriy Pododimenko was born in the village of Raikivtsi in the Khmelnytskyi region. The little timid boy grew up to become a brave man with a kind heart, surrounded by many friends.

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- Yurasik was born as a seven-month-old child. He was very eager to see the world. The little boy was small and fragile, with bright blue eyes and light hair, resembling a chick. In his childhood, he was quite fearful. Yurasik often stayed at home with his bedridden great-grandmother, who taught him many prayers in Polish, shares the Hero's mother, Olena.

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The woman recalls how, as a child, Yuriy broke his leg while sledding with his older brother. The treatment was lengthy, and he missed a lot of school. He was very upset that he couldn't go out to sow seeds with his brother, even crying. Family and friends organized a surprise for little Yurko: they visited him all day to celebrate the holiday. This became one of the lessons of humanity and kindness that he carried throughout his life.

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After his recovery, the boy started engaging in sports to regain his physical fitness. He ran, trained with dumbbells, became passionate about football, and eventually began playing for various local teams and participating in tournaments.

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At the same time, Yuriy began to take dance classes. Although it was sometimes challenging, he danced and often brought home prizes from competitions with his group.

According to Ms. Olena, Yuriy also participated in school plays. He was always given comedic roles that suited his cheerful personality. When the boy took the stage, the audience was captivated by his performance and laughed heartily. Thanks to his impressive artistic abilities, Yurko was often invited to host various events and participate in poetry reading contests.

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Additionally, he was the head of the volunteer movement at school and did everything he could to help those in need. The boy easily connected with people of all ages and had many friends.

After school, Yuriy went on to study at the Kamianets-Podilskyi National University named after I. Ohiienko, where he earned a bachelor's degree in "Hotel and Restaurant Management."

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Next, the young man decided to venture into business. With borrowed money from his mother, he purchased his first car and started trading. After some time, Yuriy bought a cargo van and began working in freight transportation. He had excellent driving skills that his clients appreciated.

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- Yuriy volunteered to go to war, - recalls Ms. Olena. - The war caught him while he was en route from Kyiv. When my son returned home, his eyes were full of tears. He gathered himself and immediately went to set up checkpoints with his friends. On February 26, Yuriy went to the TCC on his own, and when he returned home, he told me: "I closed our village and must move on."

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The young man did not undergo conscription because of issues related to his childhood broken leg. Thus, he prepared for military actions at a training center and later carried out tasks in Rivne region before heading to Kherson as part of the 128th separate mountain assault brigade from Transcarpathia.

During the full-scale war, Yuriy fulfilled his dream by marrying a girl he had liked for a long time. He had only three days of leave, and when his comrades learned where he was going, they nicknamed him "Groom." As Ms. Olena recalls, her son beamed with happiness and told her: "Mom, I found the girl I wanted."

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The soldier's wife, Iryna, had known Yuriy since childhood. For a while, he was her best friend, and then she realized that he had serious intentions.

- Yuriy was very caring and affectionate, - shares the girl. - What impressed me most about him was his courage and kindness. He helped elderly people and children a lot. He would give his last to ensure someone had something. Kindness is a trait I inherited from Yuriy. Now, when I need to help someone, I do it with thoughts of him, as he taught me to do.

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When the full-scale war began, Iryna was abroad. Whenever Yuriy had a day off, she would take a bus back to Ukraine to see her beloved.

- I knew that Yuriy was someone who would not stand aside from what was happening. His decision to join the Armed Forces was entirely expected for me, and I fully supported him. He said he was going to war for our future children, his nieces and nephews, and his parents. Our conversations about the war were very deep and sincere. Of course, he couldn't tell me everything. As his wife, I wanted to listen to Yuriy and be his support. He spoke about fear, as it is a normal human reaction, but that fear did not stop him. Yuriy said he might not return, and I had to be prepared for that. During our last meeting, he handed me all his documents in case something happened, - says his wife.

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The last time relatives saw Yuriy was during the wedding ceremony. The young couple decided to hold their wedding after the war. Yuriy saw the successes of the Armed Forces in various areas and believed that soon they would manage to defeat the enemy.

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According to Ms. Olena, their conversations before his death revolved around the upcoming wedding. They had already chosen a restaurant, discussed the menu, and made a guest list.

On October 6, 2022, the woman last heard her son's voice. It was on that day that soldier Yuriy Pododimenko was killed in the village of Nova Kamianka in Kherson region. The warrior was 23 years old. His fallen body was evacuated by his comrades two days later.

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In memory of Yuriy, Iryna opened a café in Khmelnytskyi, naming it "Groom." The young man loved coffee and was knowledgeable about it, and he dreamed that such a place would become their family business.

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Yuriy Pododimenko was laid to rest in his native village of Raikivtsi. Posthumously, he was awarded the Order of "For Courage" of the III degree and was honored with the title of "Honorary Citizen of the Khmelnytskyi City Territorial Community." A memorial plaque was installed on the facade of the Raikivtsi school where the Hero studied.

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The warrior is survived by his mother, brother, and wife. His father passed away after his son's death.

Eternal memory to the Hero!

Photos by Olena Pododimenko, Iryna Zamiakha, and from Yuriy Pododimenko's Instagram