Andriy “Balahan” Korenyako is a fan of the football club MFC “Mykolaiv”, a representative of the “Corsairs” team.

Andriy Korenyako was born on October 22, 1987 in Khabarovsk, Russia. At a young age, he moved to Moscow, where he began to actively support the local FC CSKA, participating in the football life of the movement. In addition, he loved history and professed the right ideology. He considered modern Russia to be the successor of the Soviet Union and, consequently, a prison of nations. Andriy did not talk much about that period of his life. His comrades recall that it was mostly a taboo topic. But it is well known that he moved to Ukraine after the Moscow events in December 2010. Then, like thousands of Russian football fans, “Balahan” took part in clashes with riot police and Caucasians on Manezhnaya Square, which began after Egor Sviridov murdered. However, local authorities managed to suppress the protest and it led to repressions. Investigators assured Andrey that they would put him in prison. At first, Andriy lived in Sevastopol but soon moved to Mykolaiv. He started to support a similary named club in the city, which became his third home and later joined the “Corsairs” team, founded in 2000. Standing side by side with representatives of the around-football south of Ukraine, “Balahan” became a participant in some “street” and “arranged” actions in 2011-13. He supported the team at home and away matches. With the beginning of the revolutionary events in December 2013, he went to the capital. He participated in clashes with the supporters of the Yanukovych regime, including the famous confrontation in Hrushevskoho Street. At the same time, he actively helped the Maidan in Mykolaiv. Putin's regime, which had taken away one home from “Balahan”, was planning to get hold of this one because Mykolaiv was supposed to be included in the Moscow project “Novorossiya” if the invader's plans came true. Being well aware of the terrible prospects of the “Russian world” coming to the south of our country, Andriy mercilessly fought with separatists on the streets. He was one of those who dispersed the tent city of collaborators. The will to fight and the character of a real warrior, led the football hooligan (like many others), born in distant Khabarovsk, to the ranks of the Azov Battalion. “Balahan” was the first of the Mykolaiv fans to join the volunteer formation on June 3, 2014, and ten days later he took part in the operation for the liberation of Mariupol. The warrior served in a reconnaissance and sabotage squad and then moved to the 1st hundred. He was a member of the 3rd tenth 3rd platoon 1st hundred “Balahan” went to his last battle - the storming of the suburbs of Donetsk. Andriy Korenyako died on August 4, 2014, in the battle for Ukrainian Maryinka.

Andriy's death was the first combat loss of the Azov movement in this war. On June 29, 2016, he was posthumously awarded the Order of “People's Hero of Ukraine” and the “Kholodnyi Yar” insignia. For his participation in the defense of Mykolaiv from collaborators, he was awarded the posthumous award ‘For Merit to Mykolaiv region» of the second degree. Andriy was buried in Mykolaiv - the Ukrainian city, which became native to the Russian, who, without having a blue passport, gave his life for Ukraine. The name of the first fallen Azov warrior is forever engraved in the name of one street in the city (renamed former Pionerska Street). “Balahan” wished Ukraine a happy fate not in words, but deeds. At the same time, fighting against the occupiers, he hoped for the overthrow of the regime in his homeland. Our platoon was following the IFV, behind the building, 300-400 meters from us, where the sniper was probably sitting, the tank was working. We stopped, “Balahan” stood on the right side of the IFV at that moment when a radio-controlled landmine detonated on the side of the road and an explosion occurred, which scattered us in different directions from the IFV... “Balahan” was among the 7 Azov soldiers who suffered. Numerous injuries to internal organs, his leg was torn off by the explosion... At first, he was unconscious, but then he woke up, and the guys began to provide him with medical care to save him. However, “Balahan” died in the car that took him, before reaching the hospital. 

Comrade-in-arms and representative of Mykolaiv BG “Kabina” team.