Oleksandr Demenko

Oleksandr Demenko (, born 1999 ) is a Ukrainian soldier who leads the non-governmental organisation Ukrainian LGBT+ Military and Veterans for Equal Rights. He was injured in the siege of Mariupol while defending the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works plant, and was held captive by Russia as a prisoner of war from 17 May 2022 to 31 January 2024, when he was freed in a prisoner exchange.

Early life Oleksandr Demenko was born in Zaporizhzhia in 1999. He studied at the Zaporizhzhia Institute of Economics and Information Technologies, but joined the military in his second year of studies. He served in the Air Force of Ukraine from 2019 to 2021, and then joined the 9th Operational Regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine, which later became the 15th Operational Brigade. He was wounded on 30 March 2022. Upon arrival in Taganrog on 23 January 2024, he and his fellow prisoners were "beaten so badly that [they] couldn't even walk or sit", and other prisoners told him about experiencing electrical torture. The NGO's former head Viktor Pylypenko became his deputy.

In July 2026, the NGO launched a new educational course about LGBTQ people in the military, featuring Demenko, Pylypenko and others. The course is available on the Diia.Education platform, and includes topics such as an introduction to sexual orientation and gender identity; common misconceptions; LGBTQ rights and their protection; and discrimination in the military. Demenko said, "The military becomes stronger where there is trust, respect for rights, and a safe environment for everyone. The higher the level of inclusion in the military, the more people are willing to serve and remain in the system." He said the course was intended to give military personnel "the language, facts, and practical guidance for addressing LGBTQ+ issues within military units." They are waiting for a civil partnership law to be passed in Ukraine.