VOITENKO Viktor Anatoliyovych
(24 November 1996, village of Hushchynci, Kalynivka Raion, Vinnytsia Oblast – 15 April 2025, near the village of Kam’yanske, Vasylivka Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, buried on 19 April 2025 in his native village) – Ukrainian soldier, chief sergeant, commander of the 1st mortar section of the mortar platoon of the fire support company of the 131st separate reconnaissance battalion named after Colonel Yevhen Konovalets — a unit of the Ukrainian military intelligence. Student of WUNU in 2024, Vinnytsia Educational and Scientific Institute of Economics.
Viktor Voitenko was born on 24 November 1996 in the village of Hushchynci, Vinnytsia region.
In 2017, he began defending Ukraine: he served under contract and participated in anti-terrorist operations as part of the Armed Forces, earning the status of war veteran.
After completing his contract in October 2021, Viktor started a new phase of his life — starting a family. On 6 January 2022, his daughter was born. However, with the start of the full-scale invasion, he returned to the army without hesitation on 26 February 2022, confirming his commitment to his military oath. He served in the mortar platoon of the fire support company of one of the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, held the position of chief sergeant, and was a mortar commander.
Viktor took part in the most important operations on key fronts during the full-scale invasion: the liberation of Kherson, battles in Donetsk, operations in Kharkiv, and the defence of Zaporizhzhia.
For his merits, he was awarded numerous distinctions, including medals of the 10th Army Corps, awards ‘For Exemplary Military Service,’ ‘Scout’s Cross,’ ‘Golden Cross,’ and an award from the Operational Command “South” (‘Kherson Troops’).
In 2024, Victor enrolled in a part-time programme at the Vinnytsia Educational and Scientific Institute of Economics, choosing to specialise in ‘Entrepreneurship and Trade.’
On 15 April 2025, near the village of Kamyanske in the Zaporizhzhia region, Victor showed incredible courage and self-sacrifice. Risking his own life, he evacuated a combat group from under fire by getting behind the wheel of a car. However, as a result of an enemy strike with an FPV drone, the vehicle was hit, and Viktor died saving his comrades.
Sources:
1. Войтенко Валентина Олександрівна. Петиція щодо присвоєння звання Героя України (посмертно) Войтенку Віктору Анатолійовичу. Електронні петиції. Офіційне інтернет-преставництво Президента України. URL : https://petition.president.gov.ua/petition/247360.
2. На війні з росією загинув військовий розвідник із Гущинців. Калинівка. City. URL : https://kalynivka.city/articles/415009/na-vijni-z-rosiyeyu-zaginuv-vijskovij-rozvidnik-iz-guschinciv.