This date marks a black page in the recent history of Ukraine
Exactly seven years ago, on May 22, 2014, near the city of Volnovakha, Donetsk region, pro-Russian militants actually shot one of the units of the anti-terrorist operation forces. Then 18 soldiers of the 51st separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were killed, 30 more were wounded. At that time, it was the biggest loss of Ukrainian Army in one battle…
On May 22, 2014, at about 4:15 a.m., the checkpoint of the 3rd Mechanized Battalion of the 51st Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, located on the T0509 Vuhledar-Olhynka highway between Olhynka and Blahodatne villages near the Velykoanadolsky Forest was attacked by militants.
Eyewitnesses reported that the militants arrived in 2 jeeps and 2 cash-in-transit vans (according to other sources, the attackers arrived in 3 cars or two armoured cash-in-transit vans), which the Ukrainian military probably passed by the checkpoint, after which they were shot dead.
Militants carried out massive fire from small arms, antitank grenade launchers, machine guns, threw hand grenades on camp of anti-terrorist operation unit. During the attack, one of the shells hit a combat vehicle, as a result of which ammunition detonated…
During the battle, some of the military did not shoot to kill, because war was not declared in Ukraine. Soldiers shoot in the air or in kneecap and so on.
This is the list of the fallen in that battle:
- Major Polinkevich Leonid Alexandrovych
- Lieutenant Ovcharuk Vladimir Borisovych
- Senior Sergeant Artemuk Alexander Ivanovych
- Junior Sergeant Yovzik Dmitry Vasylovich
- Senior soldier Bida Yevhen Mykolayovych
- Soldier Bondaruk Mykola Petrovych
- Soldier Hrytsiuk Mykhailo Mykhailovych
- Soldier Zaradiuk Volodymyr Volodymyrovych
- Soldier Makhnovets Vitaly Ivanovich
- Soldier Prokopchuk Volodymyr Ivanovych
- Soldier Popov Pavlo Volodymyrovych
- Soldier Shkriblyak Dmytro Oleksandrovych
- Soldier Ozeranchuk Leonid Viktorovych
- Soldier Marynych Vitaliy Petrovych
- Soldier Nechyporuk Andriy Dmytrovych
- Soldier Lishchuk Vitaliy Leonidovych
- Soldier Rybak Mykhailo Volodymyrovych (died of injuries on October 14, 2014)
- Soldier Kuzmin Lubomyr Ihorovych.
The battle of Volnovakha became another wound of Ukraine, as well as many others:
Savur-Mohyla, Karachun Hora, Ilovaisk, Shchastia, Zaitseve, Popasne, Troitske, Debaltseve, Shyrokyne, Marinka, Battle of Svitlodarsk, Avdiivka and others.
REMEMBER !!!
Eternal memory to the fallen heroes of Ukraine!
Chairman of the Board
NGO “Association of Ukrainian Defense Manufacturers”
Ruslan Dzhalilov
