Oleksandr "Santa" Fysyna was a fan of the Krystal Kherson football club and a member of the "Yuzhane" supporters' group.
Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Fysyna was born on April 20, 2000, in Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region. He attended School No. 16 in Kherson before enrolling in the Kherson Vocational Lyceum of Communications and Printing, where he trained as a computer typesetter and layout operator. As a child, he loved superhero cartoons, particularly Spider-Man and Batman, and collected Harry Potter magazines. In elementary school, he took classes in ribbon embroidery and wood burning. Following his older sister's example, he began kayaking before switching to Kyokushin karate. He grew to love this style of karate, participating in competitions where he placed first and second. He also played table tennis and basketball.
Oleksandr joined the Krystal Kherson fan movement in 2016 when the "Yuzhane" group was formed. He went on his first away game to Odesa. His fellow fans remember him as a cheerful and kind person.
He was also a member of the "Sokil" patriotic movement in Kherson. He helped organize concerned youth who worked to identify and report pedophiles and drug dealers.
In civilian life, he worked in construction.
Shortly after the full-scale war began, Kherson was occupied. Oleksandr stayed in the city and spent the entire occupation reporting enemy positions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He did everything he could to hasten the city's liberation and was never afraid to speak Ukrainian in front of the enemy. After the right bank of the Kherson region was liberated, he worked and volunteered, helping people with medicine and food.
In 2024, he took up arms, and in March 2025, he joined the 101st Territorial Defense Brigade. "Santa" served as a rifleman and a reconnaissance squad leader, fighting on the Sumy front.
During the war, he met his beloved Karina, and they planned to marry in September 2025; they had already bought their wedding rings. He dreamed of having a family, a stable job, and a home of his own.
Shortly before his death, he was awarded the "Silver Cross" badge. His comrades say he received the award for the large number of enemy drones he brought down using electronic warfare equipment.
They also recall words Oleksandr used to say on the front lines: "Here, at the zero line, there are no strangers. There are only your own—the people you share your last drop of water with, the ones whose backs you cover, and with whom you stand together to stop the enemy from advancing."
Oleksandr Fysyna was killed on August 16, 2025, while performing a combat mission near the village of Khodyne in the Sumy region. His life was cut short by an enemy FPV drone. He is buried at the New Korabelne Cemetery in Mykolaiv.
Shortly after Oleksandr's death, his son was born and named after his father. He is also survived by his 3-year-old daughter.
Eternal honor to the Hero!
