Special Forces were an affair of his life. Affair which he not only knew because he passed the way from soldier to the position of commander of military units of Special Forces; he loved it, that is why he fostered and associated with it not only one generation of courage, devoted to its nations and highly professional defenders of Motherland. For his inferiors, Yurii Borysovych was more than commander, he was a great Warrior and he proved it once again, covered his combat sworn brothers by his body.
Yurii Olefirenko showed the character of warrior during Afghan war when he on his own free will stayed to fight in 459th separate company of Special Forces. After returning from Afghanistan, he entered Ryazan Highly Command Airborne School.
Over the period of his service at Special Forces’ units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yurii Borysovych was awarded with the state decorations and many insignias of the Defence Ministry of Ukraine and General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Having retired, the officer couldn’t stay aside from the struggle of his nation for independence and integrity of state. When war came in Ukraine, he voluntarily appealed to the military registration and enlistment office to return on military service. During the holding of counterterrorist operation, his unit bravely performed the most difficult command’s tasks. Courage, patriotism and self-sacrificingness of commander became an example for his inferiors. Men went into the battle, because they saw his next to and believed his words and his deeds.
Performing missions again on front line, Yurii Olefirenko together with the inferiors discovered and provided higher command information about mortar positions of the enemy from which an intensive fire was conducted at that time. Due to operational and accurate report of commander, Ukrainian artillery annihilated the enemy, thereby stopped fire upon the village with quantity of civilian residents. However, the unit of Yurii Borysovych came under mortar fire of Russian mercenaries. Trying to save men, officer covered three subordinates by his body from mortar mine splinters, he received multiple wounds. During evacuation towards medical institution, the heart of brave commander stopped.
The personnel of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine express sincere condolences to the family and friends of deceased. He was an example for his subordinates and combat sworn brothers; he loyally served to Motherland, he professionally executed duties of commander, resolutely acted protecting his nation. A memory about hero will live forever in our hearts.