Oleksandr CHUB

Oleksandr was born in the village of Tarasivka, Polohy District, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. He studied at the Polohy Vocational Lyceum. He began working for the railway in 2018 as a 2nd category repair mechanic at the Polohy locomotive depot. In 2020, he received a 3rd category in the same specialty. He worked on the railway for over 5 years.

In January 2022, he signed a contract to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After the onset of the full-scale invasion, he fought in hot spots, particularly in the Kupiansk direction.

“Whenever I think of Sasha, tears always come to my eyes, even though a lot of time has passed since his death,” says Natalia Pletin, the foreman of the repair and maintenance shop at the Polohy locomotive depot. “He was very tall, of a strong build, with fists as big as mine, and he could always stand up for anyone who was being bullied. Oleksandr was a repair mechanic, but he willingly took on any urgent work: he mowed the grass and hung curtains because he was taller than everyone. He had a rare quality these days—he genuinely respected elderly people. He was highly regarded in the team.”

His wife Natalia says, “My husband was a wonderful son, the best husband and father, brave, courageous, decisive, and responsible, always helping everyone. His phrase, ‘We will live— we won’t die!’ was often heard during difficult situations. Sasha was an optimist, encouraging everyone around him and believing in the best. He was sure that we would definitely see our native land, our homes that we had to leave behind in Polohy. And we will surely rebuild everything.”

Oleksandr died on April 30, 2024, during an enemy shelling of his unit's fire position in the Kharkiv region. For a long time, he was considered missing in action because the body of the fallen railway soldier could not be evacuated due to the occupation of the territory where he fought his last battle.

He is survived by his parents, wife, and son.

The team at the Polohy locomotive depot and the regional branch of the "Dniprovsk Railway" express their deep sorrow and condolences to his parents, wife Natalia, and son.