In memory of Senior Lieutenant Oleksiy Rubtsov (call sign "Soldier").

The body of the soldier remains on occupied territory, and the primary goal for Oleksii's family is to bring him home.

“The dancing soldier,” – this is how many referred to Oleksii Rubtsov, whose dance videos captivated social media during the ATO/JFO period. Cheerful clips garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and Oleksii's fans joked that he should open a “Combat Samba” school.

7

Oleksii was born on May 31, 1982, in Kyiv, but due to his father's job (he was involved in setting up military airfields), the family moved to Chukotka. However, they later returned to Ukraine. After finishing school, the young man obtained two degrees: military and legal. He then served in “Desna,” from which he was discharged with the rank of senior lieutenant. After that, he worked at a bank, where he served as the director of the legal department.

8

He had a great passion for football, especially for Kyiv's “Dynamo.” In the ultras community, Oleksii was a well-known figure. He traveled to other countries to watch matches of his favorite team. The ultras of “Dynamo,” including Oleksii, were among the first on Maidan. After the occupation of Crimea and the onset of hostilities in Donbas in 2014, he immediately began volunteering and then went to the front.

9

In the same year, 2014, Oleksii met his future wife. Iryna was running her own business in the sewing industry and, along with a friend, visited hospitals to sew clothes for the wounded.

“Lyoha was memorable. He exuded a sense of strength, confidence, and masculine energy,” – recalls Iryna.

0

From 2015, Oleksii fought in “Azov.” Soon after, their son Myroslav was born, and his wife needed support. Oleksii also wanted to see his son grow up.

“If our son hadn't been born and I hadn’t said that I didn’t plan to raise him alone, he would have continued serving,” – the woman says. Oleksii returned to his family, for which he later thanked his wife. He was by his beloved's side, with their newborn son. While Iryna was on maternity leave, Oleksii took on the responsibilities of director at the sewing enterprise.

1

The small enterprise produced knitted hoodies, t-shirts, and other clothing. Oleksii was responsible for everything: meeting clients, overseeing orders.

Three years after their son was born, the family welcomed a daughter, Polina.

2

On the eve of Ukraine's Armed Forces Day in 2021, Oleksii, along with familiar volunteers, launched a clothing line named after the military – ZSU (“Iron Force of Ukraine”). All proceeds from the sold items went to support the soldiers.

Video: Oleksii Rubtsov

Additionally, Oleksii had a long-standing interest in ballroom dancing during his childhood. “Back during the ATO, when my husband was living in the barracks, someone played the Lambada, and Lyoha started dancing. That’s when he posted the video that went viral and spread all over the internet,” – Iryna recalls.

Iryna and Oleksii loved traveling. They visited Spain, Italy, and Croatia together. “We wanted to see the world, gain wonderful experiences, and bring them home. Life was happy... Yet we never forgot that there was a war in Ukraine, and we tried to help the military as much as possible,” – says the woman.

3

On the eve of February 24, 2022, they talked a lot about the war. Iryna believed it would be okay, but Oleksii disagreed: Russia would attack. In the morning, they woke up to explosions... At the beginning of March, Oleksii evacuated his family from the Kyiv region and returned to the military.

Senior Lieutenant Rubtsov, as part of the volunteer battalion “Carpathian Sich,” defended the Brovary direction, clearing Stoyanka, Bucha, and Irpin from occupiers, later eliminating the enemy in the Kharkiv direction, and subsequently joined the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the Black Zaporizhians as a reconnaissance platoon commander.

4

“Lyoha was transferred to ‘Azov,’ but something went wrong with the paperwork, and he was sent to where there was a shortage of personnel. This is how he found himself in the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, where he stayed for only 12 days,” – Iryna recounts. – “A lot depended on the level of combat training of his comrades. The guys there were just mobilized, so Lyoha had to explain basic things to them. Under the name ‘reconnaissance,’ there was even untrained infantry.”

5

Oleksii tried to protect the lives of his inexperienced subordinates as much as possible; he would go into the gray zone himself and leave them on duty or guarding, as he understood well: the chances of returning alive from missions for his comrades were low.

On Flag Day, August 23, 2022, Oleksii wrote on his Facebook page: “Our flag does not wave from the wind, but from the last breath of each Warrior who died defending it!”

6

On September 14, 2022, Iryna received the last message from her husband. From the Bakhmut direction...

“Previously, my husband would find a way to send a message at least once a day, but here there was nothing at all. I wrote to friends from ‘Azov,’ as I didn’t know anyone in the 58th brigade. They said everything was fine, Lyoha was alive. Our son’s birthday was just around that time – he turned six, and I understood that Lyoha physically couldn’t congratulate Myroslav. On Sunday (September 18, – ed.), around 11:30, I received a call from an unfamiliar number; the man on the other end said that my husband was fine and would come out of the gray zone in a few days.”

7

The next day, Iryna was called and told that her beloved had died on a mission. The news was later confirmed by Roman Sinitsin, a military friend of Oleksii.

“My friend, Senior Lieutenant Oleksii ‘Soldier’ Rubtsov, died defending us in Donbas, and this is an irreparable loss for Ukraine and for all of us. Because there are very few true people like Oleksii Rubtsov; they are the best. Lyoha was an example of honesty, resilience, and determination.”

It later became known that before the battle, Oleksii was wounded, and they were to replace him, but he refused, saying he was the most experienced. He was 40 years old.

8

The body remained on lands that are still under occupation. Iryna says that the family's primary task now is to recover her husband's body. She believes she will succeed after the de-occupation of the village where her husband died.

9

In memory of Oleksii Rubtsov, a graffiti was created in Vyshhorod, Kyiv region, and a bust of the soldier was unveiled at the “Memorial to the Cossack Volunteers” in Kholodny Yar, Cherkasy region.

Honor and respect to the Hero!

Photo: Facebook page Oleksii Rubtsov, Oleksandr Pryshchepa, Suspilne. Cherkasy