Stas Momot, known in Donetsk as Stas “Killer,” arrived for the meeting near an ordinary cafeteria. He was wearing shorts and a T-shirt with the words “SEVER 8, Donetsk”, combining Russian and Ukrainian in one phrase. On his fist there is a tattoo reading “For the Airborne Troops!”. At the same time, his current service is immediately suggested by his vehicle: an old SUV repainted green with European plates, the kind of car commonly called a “korch” there.
His call sign is no longer “Killer.” In the army, Stas is known as “Pisatel”, also written in a mixed manner, with Ukrainian letters but in a Russian style. He writes poetry; several of his works were previously published in a collection of poems by ATO veterans. His younger brother and his mother also write poetry, and the family still has a shared Facebook poetry page dating back several years.
“Pisatel” serves as an operations officer in one of the Ukrainian corps fighting at the junction of the Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions. He is originally from Pokrovsk.
Among Donetsk football supporters, Momot is known as one of the founders of the Sever-8 ultras group. The group was formed in 2008 by fans of Shakhtar Donetsk who gathered in the northern stand of the Olympiyskiy regional sports complex. At that time, one year still remained before the opening of Donbass Arena.
Stas is now 35 years old and holds the rank of major in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His younger brother has been serving in the same unit with him for about three months and also holds the rank of major. He barely had the chance to attend matches at Donbass Arena: he finished school only after the war had begun, in 2017, and then immediately entered a military academy in Odesa.
The younger Momot was doing field practice with the 128th Brigade in Zakarpattia when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.