They held on to last where it seemed impossible: today is Day of Remembrance of Defenders of Donetsk Airport in Ukraine. VIDEO
On 20 January, Ukraine marks the Day of Remembrance of the Defenders of Donetsk Airport.
This was reported by Censor.NET.
Fighting for the DAP
The defence of Donetsk airport lasted 242 days, from 26 May 2014 to 23 January 2015. The airport was heroically defended by people who were stronger than concrete. They became known as "cyborgs".
According to the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, on 20 January 2015, terrorists blew up the concrete floors of the new airport terminal, and on 21 January, the last battles for the airport subsided.
The defence of Donetsk airport is a story of thousands of stories of bravery and victory. One of them is the holding of the fire station building for two days.
It was a group of desperadoes from the 90th Airmobile Battalion led by Maksym Rydzanych "Adam". Snipers Vitalii Zvarych "Rex", Volodymyr Koliada "Zhyvchyk", Maksym Abdurazakov "Abdullah", Anatolii Levchuk "Fox", machine gunners Viktor Levytskyi "Zhmerynka" and another fighter with the call sign "Vovk" were the last combat unit to leave the DAP.
Ukrainian defenders repelled two enemy attacks. The enemy tried to lure them out of the fire station - negotiating on behalf of commander Oleh Kuzminykh, who was already a prisoner of war at the time. But "Adam" figured out the enemy's intentions. In the evening, while visiting his men, he warned them that there might be an attack in the morning. He suggested that anyone who wanted to could go to the destroyed tower and surrender. Everyone refused. The commander smiled: "I agree, guys. It's better to die a man than to live like a bastard".
The shooting and the sounds of fighting near the "fire station" attracted the attention of the Ukrainian command. There was no connection with the last defenders of the DAP. They sent liaison officers - Viacheslav Volobuev, call sign "Okun", a Ukrainian orienteering champion, and Maksym Bubel, call sign "Yeshka" - to help them. They led Adam's group to the government-controlled territory.
The feat of the Adam's group began to be talked about only after the death of Maksym Rydzanych in March 2015. He was killed near the village of Opytne, Donetsk region, while saving his comrade-in-arms. In 2021, the defender was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.
In the battle for Donetsk airport, 97 Ukrainian defenders were killed, and three more are missing.
Zelenskyy on the defenders of the DAP
Today, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid tribute to the defenders of Donetsk airport.
"Today we remember the feat of our cyborgs. 242 days of defence of Donetsk airport. They held out to the last where it seemed impossible. This is a story of extraordinary courage. It's about people who held out where concrete could not. We remember the cost of the battle for our freedom and the present. Honour and glory to all those who fought for Ukraine," the Head of State said.
Syrskyi on the defenders of the DAP
In his turn, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi added that the defence of the Donetsk airport had thwarted the plans of the Russian invaders and constrained the actions of the enemy troops.
"The Russian invaders called the Ukrainian defenders 'cyborgs' because they could not understand why they could not storm the airport garrison. At that time, our soldiers demonstrated great courage, steely spirit and extraordinary endurance. They became a true symbol of the incredible resilience and courage of the Ukrainian people, who continue to fight heroically for the independence of their country. The example of the "cyborgs" continues to inspire a new generation of defenders to win victories for the sake of Ukraine!" said Syrskyi.
