Denis “Birch” Gerasimov is a fan of the football club “Metalist” (Kharkiv), a representative of the team “Simmer Polecats Crew”.
Denis Alexandrovich Gerasimov was born on August 21, 2003 in the city of Kharkiv. After studying at the city lyceum No. 107, he entered the National Aerospace University named after him. M. IS. Zhukovsky. From the age of 6 he started playing football in the Metalist section, but after an arm injury and a change of coach he decided not to continue. Instead, he trained at the school stadium and also went to matches with his father.
After the events of 2014, Denisa began to be interested in the topic of organized support for the club. Fond of creating and printing stickers on football and patriotic themes, in a 13-year-old boy began to appear cans of paint.
In 2020, he joined the SPC team, where at that time his mixed martial arts coach Alexander Klushin was already there. Teammates recall that fan life quickly seized Denis. He participated in many near-football events of recent years before a full-scale war, and compensated for his shyness with stubbornness and fighting character.
Anticipating the approach of a full-scale war, Kharkiv fan groups conducted preparations. Denis joined the volunteer group formed by his trainer at the special unit of the police “East”.
From the first day of the Great War, Birch came into arms, although he was only 18 years old at the time. On the evening of February 24, 2022, he called his parents and said that he would not come home today and would stay to help the boys around the city. He was the youngest member of the SPC division. The brothers recall that Denis stayed with the unit during the most difficult periods for the city and helped his brothers from the 92nd Brigade to defend and liberate the area as much as he could. He dreamed of continuing to serve in the “Sulfur Misfits”, but due to his young age he could not get into the desired unit.
After that, he went to prepare for the brigade “Azov”. After training, he joined the 3rd battalion of the 12 BSVP “Azov”, where he served as a grenade launcher. Relatives learned about this step already when Denis became a recruit. The brothers remember “Birch” as a brave warrior and a true friend who was not afraid to go on the most dangerous tasks. Calling home has always been in good humor. He told his parents that everything was fine, and after the war he planned to continue to engage in military affairs.
Denis Gerasimov died on September 20, 2023, a month after his 20th birthday. During the execution of a combat mission in the Serebryansk forest of Kreminna (Luhansk region), he received injuries incompatible with life as a result of enemy mortar shelling. He was buried on the Alley of Glory of the Kharkiv cemetery №18. Awarded the Order “For Courage” III degree (posthumously).
