A young volleyball player, Stanislav Makayda, was killed while holding back the Russian occupiers in the Donetsk region. The 23-year-old athlete served in an Air Assault Platoon and fought his last battle on February 24 near the village of Kostiantynivka.

Originally from the Chernivtsi region, Stanislav was an active child since childhood, playing various sports, but he was most fond of volleyball. Those who knew Makayda said that for him it was not just a game, volleyball was his whole life.

Stanislav played for a number of teams at district, regional and national volleyball competitions. He studied Physical Education at the Ukrainian Humanitarian Institute in Bucha.

In addition to sports, Makayda was fond of music. He made plans with his girlfriend Victoria.

"When a person thinks that everything is going wrong, something wonderful tries to enter their life," a smiling Stanislav wrote on social media.

However, after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, the young volleyball player went to the front to defend his family and country with arms in hand.

In the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Stanislav served in the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade, which has also become legendary. In the spring of 2014, the 79th was among the first to be raised to repel Russian aggression - first in defence of the borders near Crimea, and then in the liberation of a number of cities in Donbas and fierce battles at Savur-Mohyla and Debaltseve.

It is the soldiers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade who have been holding back the continuous assaults on their positions in Maryinka and near the village, which was almost destroyed by the Russians, for many months. They have also managed to significantly reduce the size of the occupiers' army.

Makayda fought his last battle near a village near Maryinka. Stanislav stopped getting in touch at the end of February 2023, and his family even started looking for the soldier on social media. However, in early March, the defender's family members reported that he was no longer alive.

On February 24, Stanislav was killed during a combat mission near the village of Kostiantynivka. He was only 23 years old.

"He will remain like this forever - cheerful, smiling and kind," wrote the athlete's friends, expressing condolences to his mother Oksana and girlfriend Vika.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL reported how a Kharkiv volleyball player was taking the wounded from the front line and came under fire. The athlete fought in the Kraken unit.

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