How the heroic defense of the DAP began/UNN
Exactly 8 years ago, the first battle between the Ukrainian military and Russian invaders took place on the territory of the Donetsk airport. Both sides tried to establish control over the airfield. In the end, after a long super-heavy struggle, the defenders of the DAP were called cyborgs.
For information on how it all began and how history repeats itself again, read the article on Channel 24.
“The airport temporarily does not accept flights”
The valiant struggle for the airfield began precisely from the message that the Donetsk airport “temporarily” stops servicing flights. Then no one even guessed that “temporarily” would turn into a long 8 years. And the flights that were supposed to be postponed for several days were never implemented in Donetsk.
airport
How it all started
On the night of May 26, 2014, a group of pro-Russian separatists managed to occupy part of the airport buildings on the second attempt. In the end, the Ukrainian military vacated the premises of the airport in Donetsk.They used fighter jets to eliminate the militants.
The active phase of the anti-terrorist operation continued in the area of Donetsk International Airport – snipers shot at the militants. Ukrainian units acted swiftly and effectively – about 45 militants were killed, several dozen more were injured. After that, long days of defense began.
Pay attention! As noted in the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ukrainians did not lose a single fighter in the first battle for the Donetsk airport.
The active phase of the fighting began in September 2014
For a long time, the situation around the airport remained relatively calm. Serious assaults on the strategic facility began after the conclusion of the Minsk agreements in September 2014.
These agreements, in particular, provided for “stopping the units and military formations of the parties on the line of their collision as of September 19 2014” and the withdrawal of heavy weapons 15 kilometers from this line.That is, the separatists must liberate a significant part of Donetsk from weapons. In order to gain an advantage in forming the distribution line, the occupiers attacked the airport.
Over time, after many assaults, the airport also acquired a symbolic meaning for Ukraine – evidence of the heroism of its fighters, successfully resisting the powerful forces of the enemy. The airfield became “Ukrainian Thermopylae” and “Donbass Pavlov's House”, and its defenders were called cyborgs by the enemy for their steadfastness.
Ukrainian soldiers defended the objects of the DAP for 242 days/Photo by Getty Images
Ukrainian cyborgs were a bone in the throat of the invaders
At various times, fighters fought at the airport and nearby Pesky:
- 95th and 79th airborne brigades,
- soldiers of the 3rd Kirovograd special forces regiment and the “Dnepr-1” battalion,
- artillerymen and tankers of the 93rd brigade,
- volunteers from the “Right Sector” and the “OUN” battalion,
- military from other parts.
For the separatists, this was an irritant that needed to be eliminated.
The airport for the separatists has also become a matter of principle. Just as it is a symbol of heroism for us, it has acquired fundamental importance in the eyes of the separatists, – said Semyon Semenchenko, commander of the Donbass battalion, BBC reports.
End of defense and heroic exit
Attempts to take the airport by the forces of the quasi-republic “DPR” did not stop throughout the autumn and throughout December 2014. However, especially fierce fighting there began after the New Year. On January 13, after several months of shelling, the tower with the Ukrainian flag was destroyed.
Control tower of Donetsk airport/Photo of Channel 5
Despite numerous provocations and outright lies that the Ukrainians were allegedly shelling residential areas of Donetsk from the airfield and Peski, the Ukrainian forces did not agree to the proposals and ultimatums of the opponents. The Ukrainian army powerfully responded to the assault attempts, it managed to recapture part of the territories.
On January 20-21, reports began to appear about killed and captured cyborgs. In the Russian media, there were stories about the captured Ukrainian fighters. Finally, on January 22, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that part of the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine came out fighting from the territory of the terminals, as their positions were destroyed and shot through by direct guidance.
Losses of Ukraine
Every life Ukrainian defenders is extremely valuable for Ukraine. Therefore, the losses during the valiant defense of the DAP are colossal for us. According to various sources, more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers died during the defense of the airfield, 58 of them in the last few days.
The fact that the occupiers, taking advantage of the truce to evacuate their dead and wounded, led to such great losses, mined and blew up the building where our defenders were.
Fighting for the Donetsk airport: how it was – watch the video
What the Donetsk airport looks like now
It is obvious that neither the leaders of the militants nor the Russian authorities supporting them have taken up the restoration of the destroyed airport. The video, which was released back in September 2021, shows that time has stopped at the airfield.
The mutilated concrete with pieces of metal reminds us of the superhuman prowess of our defenders and the cunning and cynicism of Russian militants.
What Donetsk airport looks like now: watch the video
Let's draw parallels< /h3>
Ukraine, like 8 years ago, is once again forced to kick the occupiers out of its land. A new phase of Russia's war against Ukraine also began with reports from airports across the country about flight cancellations.
A new “bone in the throat” for the Russian invaders was the Mariupol plant “Azovstal”, which courageously held the defense and did not let the invaders take full control of Mariupol.
Evacuation of the defenders of Mariupol from “Azovstal”: briefly
- Ukrainian military heroically held the defense of Mariupol for 3 months. Due to the vastly superior forces of the enemy, who used combat aircraft, the Ukrainian defenders had to retreat to the territory of the Azovstal plant.
- The territory of the plant was under constant fire from the invaders, including from heavy weapons. The defense was held by the fighters of the Azov regiment, marines, as well as fighters of the National Guard, police, border guards and even the SBU. All they did not change their oath to Ukraine and defended its territorial integrity.
- The operation to rescue the blocked Ukrainian military at Azovstal began on May 16. At that time, 53 seriously wounded defenders were evacuated and taken to a medical facility in occupied Novoazovsk.
- In addition, another 211 of our defenders were taken through the humanitarian corridor to the occupied Olenivka. On May 20, one of the commanders of the garrison at Azovstal, Lieutenant Colonel Denis Prokopenko, wrote down an appeal where he said that the top military leadership had given the order to stop the defense of the city. The defenders were taken prisoner by Russia.
- The Ukrainian side stated that all the fighters who were on the territory of the Azovstal plant should subsequently be exchanged for Russian prisoners.
