The only son of Diana and Michael. Kirill was born in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, on 24 August 1985 (7 Elul 5745).
On 2 December 2004, Kirill enlisted in the IDF. He passed the selection process and was accepted into the elite 669 rescue unit. After a year in training, he requested to transfer to the Oketz Unit, where he combined his deep love for dogs with his dream of taking part in operational missions.
Staff Sergeant Kirill Golenshin fell in battle in the Gaza Strip on 1 November 2006 (10 Cheshvan 5767). He was twenty-one years old. He was laid to rest at the Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. He is survived by his parents; his sister, Kira, was born two years after his passing.
Engraved on his headstone are his own words: “You don’t need to try — you need to do! So what’s the deal?”, and also: “Always with you, always with us.”
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