In Memory of Ukrainian Hero Serhiy Konoval (Callsign 'Nord')

Serhiy Konoval, known by his callsign 'Nord', took up arms to defend Ukraine in 2014 while still a student at a medical university. He joined the volunteer medical battalion 'Hospitallers', where he rose from a paramedic to the commander of the rifle company of the 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade. Alongside his military service, Serhiy was actively engaged in community work, becoming one of the founders of the first veterans' space in Ternopil called 'Veteran's Home'. He also organized military training for youth and produced films dedicated to Ukrainian defenders. Sadly, 'Nord's' life came to an end on April 6, 2024, near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast due to enemy shelling, at the young age of 31. By a decree from the President on August 23, 2024, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Born on May 29, 1992, in Ternopil, Serhiy attended Ternopil Secondary School No. 19 and later enrolled in Ternopil National Medical University named after I.Y. Horbachevsky, specializing in dentistry. He later earned a degree in political science from the West Ukrainian National University. An active participant in the Revolution of Dignity, Serhiy did not remain indifferent when the Russo-Ukrainian war broke out, joining the volunteer medical battalion 'Hospitallers' of the Right Sector. In 2016, he was appointed commander of the 6th reserve company of the Right Sector, participating in battles for Stanytsia Luhanska, Pisky, Maryinka, and Avdiivka.

Serhiy's wife, Olha, recalls, 'The reserve company is a story connected with Cossack traditions. Today, in the Armed Forces, it is equivalent to a company. Serhiy worked with the guys, went on rotations to the ATO zone, and conducted training in Ternopil. His task was to prepare a reserve to fight against the enemy, who could arrive at any moment for reinforcement. All his guys were volunteers, and he managed to unite them into a real team.' Alongside his military duties, Serhiy was also active in community work, particularly as a cinematographer. He was a driving force behind the film about Ukrainian cyborgs titled 'A Bit Lower Than the Sky', where he, along with Mykhailo Ukhman, recorded interviews with eyewitnesses of the battles at Donetsk Airport.

Serhiy was also an operator and co-producer of the films 'Path of Generations' and 'Road to the Carpathians', and he filmed a music video about Ternopil for a song by the local band 'Each of Us'. In 2018, he co-organized and participated in a charity bike ride called 'Chumatsky Way', during which, along with cyclists from Kyiv and Kherson, he covered 10,000 kilometers across 25 states in the USA and 5 provinces in Canada, sharing stories about the war in Ukraine and raising funds for those affected by the conflict.

One of the most significant projects for Serhiy and his like-minded individuals was the establishment of the Veteran's Home in Ternopil—a place that united defenders and their families, where they could spend time together and receive support. When the full-scale invasion began, Serhiy, on the first day, went to the front lines with the fighters of the Right Sector. His reserve company was reformed into the 2nd rifle company of the 2nd rifle battalion of the 67th Mechanized Brigade, where he participated in battles for Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Donetsk, for which he was awarded the Order of Courage III class.

During the liberation of Kharkiv Oblast, Serhiy met his future wife Olha, who was volunteering and assisting his unit. Olha recounts, 'I was familiar with one of the fighters in his company, and through him, I kept in touch. Eventually, Serhiy and I followed each other on social media. I asked him about the needs of the unit. He told me they needed a specific thermal imager for their work. At that time, finding such items was extremely difficult, but I managed to do it. However, it cost about five thousand dollars. I realized that raising such an amount quickly would be very hard for me, so I sold my car and bought the thermal imager for the guys.' They first met on April 28, 2022, when Olha came to Kharkiv Oblast, and from that moment, they were inseparable. She stayed for several months and became the head of the patronage service of the unit.

Together with Serhiy, they began working on creating a brand for the company, choosing the name 'Steel Hundred'. They also started producing jewelry and accessories from spent cartridges, with the proceeds from sales used to purchase everything necessary for the military. Today, these rings, earrings, pendants, and keychains have spread to various corners of the world and helped accomplish thousands of good deeds for Ukraine. Serhiy proposed to Olha in his hometown of Ternopil when they returned home on leave for the first time in a long while. 'It was an incredible surprise. He rented a boat, invited friends and comrades, and held 101 red roses in his hands. He managed to keep everything a secret. I was very happy,' she shares her memories.

After that, Serhiy's unit was moved to the Serebryansk Forest, where the guys held the defense for several months. When they were withdrawn from their positions, the couple got married. 'For the registration, we wore a shirt and a dress that I embroidered for us with beads in Donbas. We gathered our closest ones and celebrated this special day. We declined a wedding cake because we understood that there are things that are much more necessary. So we asked our friends who wanted to gift us a cake to replace it with a soldering iron for FPV drones. Instead, I made desserts for the guests myself,' Olha recounts.