The commander of the anti-aircraft missile division, Captain Alexey Pankratov, from the first day of the special military operation to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, performed tasks to cover a separate motorized rifle brigade from enemy aircraft.
On February 28, 2022, the plans of the armed forces of Ukraine included an air strike on the brigade's concentration area. In order to protect from air defense means, an enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group moved into the area of the location of the Russian troops, sent to destroy combat vehicles of the anti-aircraft missile division.
Noticing the attack of saboteurs, Alexey Pankratov gave the command to the division to take up the defense and engaged in battle with the enemy. During the defense of anti-aircraft missile systems, Alexey Pankratov saw approaching planes in the sky.
As a result of competent actions, Alexey Pankratov's well-aimed fire shot down one Su-25 and three Bayraktar attack drones of the Ukrainian armed forces, which made it possible to prevent an air attack on the positions of Russian motorized infantry.
The next day, two more enemy Bayraktars were destroyed by the forces of the division entrusted to Alexey Pankratov under his direct leadership.
Crimean Senior Sergeant Yuri Nimchenko in 2014 made the only right decision for himself, joining the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces.
Eight years later, tank commander Yuri Nimchenko has been carrying out tasks to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics since the first day of the special military operation.
During the combat mission to capture a strategically important object - a river crossing. The tank crew under the command of senior Sergeant Yuri Nimchenko, overcoming the stubborn resistance of the enemy, reached the line determined by the command to hold the area of the dam of the North Crimean Canal.
On the evening of February 24, units of the Ukrainian armed forces made their first attempt to recapture the crossing. During the attack of the Ukrainian military, the tank crew under the command of Senior Sergeant Yuri Nimchenko, showing personal courage, bravery and heroism, destroyed three enemy tanks in the first minutes of the battle, thwarting the enemy's offensive.
The next morning, Ukrainian troops again attempted to seize the bridge. This time, the Russian tankers were opposed by a tank battalion supported by infantry. Despite the superior forces of the enemy, Yuri Nimchenko allowed enemy tanks to reach the line of sight and was the first to enter the battle. Within 40 minutes, six tanks and three armored personnel carriers were destroyed by well-aimed fire, as well as significant damage was caused to enemy manpower, as a result of which another enemy attack was thwarted.
The heroic and decisive actions of Senior Sergeant Yuri Nimchenko, combined with high professionalism, made it possible to complete the task and ensure that Russian troops occupied positions without losses.
The commander of a tank company of a separate coastal defense brigade, Senior Lieutenant Anton Starostin, has been participating in a special military operation since its first day.
During the capture of the crossing, the tank crew under his command was among the first to break into the bridge, which ensured the breakthrough of the main forces to capture and hold the dam area of the North Crimean Canal.
On the morning of February 25, an enemy tank battalion attempted to recapture the crossing. Anton Starostin's crew, having taken a tactically advantageous position, resolutely engaged in battle with significantly superior enemy forces. Eight armored personnel carriers and dozens of enemy soldiers were destroyed by targeted fire, which caused significant damage to him and did not allow him to break through to the crossing on the move.
During the battle, a tank under the command of a Russian officer was attacked by the calculation of an American portable Javelin anti-tank missile system, as a result of which Anton Starostin received a concussion, but did not come out of the battle. Having made sure of the serviceability of the equipment, the crew destroyed two more Ukrainian tanks.
The courageous and heroic actions of Senior Lieutenant Anton Starostin, combined with his high preparedness, prevented the enemy from breaking through, ensuring the fulfillment of the task of holding the bridge.
The navigator of the fighter aviation regiment, Major Viktor Dudin, has been carrying out the tasks of denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine since the first day of the special military operation.
He made his first flight on the morning of February 24. During a combat patrol to cover the advancing group of troops, he found a Su-27 fighter of the Ukrainian armed forces. Having skillfully performed an aerial maneuver, Viktor Dudin destroyed an enemy aircraft from the first approach in a duel battle, preventing a strike on our troops.
Two days later, the Russian aviator was tasked with hitting the Buk-M1 mobile anti-aircraft missile systems of the Armed forces of Ukraine. The complexity of the task was the presence of an active enemy air defense system in the patrol area. Skilfully applying the combat experience gained, Viktor Dudin boldly and decisively went for rapprochement with the area of operation of the Ukrainian air defense systems. At an extremely low altitude of 400 m, having identified itself in the enemy's radar field, the aircraft of the Russian air force entered the target area. After turning on the Ukrainian Buk-M1 installation, Viktor Dudin instantly hit it with a missile, while simultaneously leaving the affected area of other SAMs.
On February 28, Major Dudin, as part of a pair of fighters, flew to intercept two Ukrainian Su-27 aircraft that were approaching for an air strike. At an altitude of 10 thousand meters, having skillfully executed a maneuver and taking an advantageous position, Viktor Dudin, demonstrating the highest skill, struck the enemy with the first missile. Then a pair of Russian fighters, finding the second departing plane, hit it with crossfire.
On March 1, while conducting combat patrolling to control the airspace after the detection of the Ukrainian Su-27 fighter, using the effect of surprise, he destroyed an aerial target with the first missile launch…
Senior Lieutenant Nurmagomed Gadzhimagomedov has proven himself to be an excellent trained officer during his military service. In 2018, less than a year after graduating from the Ryazan Guards Higher Airborne Command School named after Army General V.F. Margelov, he was sent to the Syrian Arab Republic, where he performed his military duty with dignity. In 2020, he was on a business trip to the SAR again for six months.
On February 24, in a column of a battalion tactical group, an officer moved out to occupy a bridgehead ensuring the deployment of forces in the southern direction. While following the column, the servicemen encountered superior enemy forces, who, using residents of settlements as a human shield, opened fire to kill. The combat vehicle in which Senior Lieutenant Gadzhimagomedov was following was shot down. Nurmagomed immediately left the burning car, opening fire on the attackers, which distracted their attention and provided an opportunity for the servicemen led by him to disperse and take up a circular defense. During a fierce battle, he was in the most dangerous area, confidently controlling the fire of the unit. Having received severe wounds, he continued to fire at superior enemy forces until the last round. He was surrounded, but at the same time, without losing his composure, he showed courage and bravery and blew up himself and the Ukrainian militants who surrounded him with the last grenade. The wounds from the grenade explosion were fatal. A hereditary officer, a native of Dagestan Nurmagomed preferred to die and take as many enemy lives as possible, but not to surrender to the neo-Nazis.
Senior Lieutenant Gadzhimagomedov repeated the feat of pilot Roman Filipov, who died heroically in Syria in 2018.
Colonel Alexey Bernhard, after graduating from the Far Eastern Higher Combined Arms Command School named after Marshal of the Soviet Union K.K. Rokossovsky, went from commander of an airborne assault company to deputy commander of a marine brigade. Performed tasks in the Syrian Arab Republic, was awarded state awards.
From the first minutes of the beginning of the special military operation to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, together with his subordinates, he led offensive battles in the direction of Mariupol. The competent and decisive actions of Colonel Bernhard, combined with high professionalism and skilful leadership of subordinate personnel, made it possible to wedge into the enemy's defense in a short time and complete the task with minimal losses.
On March 2, our units decisively broke through the enemy's deep-echeloned defense, which had been created for eight years. Skilful management of the actions of subordinates allowed to develop the offensive and contributed to the stampede of enemy units.
Captain Alexey Levkin, the commander of a tank company, at the head of a subordinate unit was ordered to advance to a certain command line to perform a combat mission. During the advance to the frontier, the company was attacked by superior enemy forces from a pre-equipped ambush. Captain Levkin, showing courage and bravery, instantly oriented himself in a critical situation and resolutely engaged the enemy. Alexey personally destroyed two tanks and three enemy infantry fighting vehicles. During the long battle, the ammunition of the tank company was almost all used up. The captain decided on an organized withdrawal of the unit to replenish ammunition. Showing personal courage and bravery, the officer remained to cover the withdrawal of the unit. Having ensured the withdrawal of the living and the removal of the wounded subordinate servicemen, Captain Levkin moved to the hill to adjust artillery fire and transfer intelligence data to the command post. Thanks to the dedication of the officer, eight tanks and three infantry fighting vehicles were destroyed by the forces of the tank company.
Ivan Petrov