Fighting between separatist forces affiliated with the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), and Ukrainian military and volunteer forces broke out at Donetsk International Airport on 28 September 2014, sparking the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. [12] Lorries with separatist reinforcements were seen heading towards the airport. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis. The Battle For Donetsk Airport. Soon after, the National Guard of Ukraine issued an ultimatum to the insurgents, which said that they should surrender immediately. He fell out with superiors after an argument over an armoured personel carrier he claimed wasn't fit for service. Then, some time around midday on Monday, the airport reverberated to the sound of an explosion. "The explosion came from the centre of the hall, perhaps 40m from where we were, and was caused by explosives thrown in through a hole from the third floor, which we simply didn't control." It was built in the 1940s and 1950s and rebuilt in 1973 and again from 2011 to 2012. The First Battle of Donetsk Airport was a conflict between separatist insurgents associated with the Donetsk People's Republic and Ukrainian government forces that took place at Donetsk International Airport on 26–27 May 2014, as part of the War in Donbass that began after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. The Battle For Donetsk Airport. by ROBERT BECKHUSEN. There were, he said, many losses, many soldiers lying on the floor around him – "some dead, some injured. The First Battle of Donetsk Airport was a conflict between separatist insurgents associated with the Donetsk People's Republic and Ukrainian government forces that took place at Donetsk International Airport on 26–27 May 2014, as part of the War in Donbass that began after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Slavik told me how he'd spoken to a British journalist, and how some deputy defence minister had followed up and assured him that help was on his its way.". "He said he didn't like the way they taught, and it was typical of him – always seeking out injustice to the point of stubbornness". A heavily armed pro-Russian rebel mans a newly erected barricade on the airport road of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk May 27, 2014. Battle for Donetsk airport: the story of one Russian fighter This article is more than 6 years old Evgeny Korolenko was born in the Soviet Union in 1967 and died in Ukraine in 2014. That was the last contact I had with him, the last contact anyone had with him. "They tell me I'm doing my country no favours, but I'm only doing what a father needs to do," he says. All buildings that could be used as strongholds for the Ukrainian soldiers were completely destroyed during the battle. Evidence of regular shelling, battle and bloodshed is what RT witnessed at Donetsk airport. One of those that did was Sergeant Major Anatoly Svyryd. According to one resident, many people were thinking of joining the insurgency if government military operations continued. Donetsk is a squad-level tactical game that simulates the battles for the Donetsk Airport in the Ukraine 2014-2015. Pro-Russian separatists pose with the picture of Joseph Stalin at checkpoint near the Sergey Prokofiev International Airport in Donetsk November 18, 2014. Donetsk is a squad-level tactical game that simulates the battles for the Donetsk Airport in the Ukraine 2014-2015. Russian-backed militants started the offensive on the airport at night of May 26. When he continues, he tells me the airport is an experience he'd wish on no one, but that it wouldn't stop him going back: "Too much blood has been lost. A Ukrainian flag flies over the traffic control tower of Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport during an artillery battle between pro-Russian rebels and … The battle for the airport lasted from May 26, 2014 to January 22, 2015 and ended after the old and the new airport terminals had been destroyed completely. He was "an intellectual", according to his father, with interests from the saxophone to theatre. The Ukrainian government started an "anti-terrorist" operation against pro-Russian insurgents in the Donetsk Oblast in early April 2014. Few Ukrainian soldiers survived the battle for Donetsk Airport in eastern Ukraine when it was taken by pro-Russian forces in January. The battle for Donetsk airport lasted for 242 days, from May 2014 to January 2015; over a hundred of Ukrainian warriors lost their lives in this military campaign. [31], Among the dead on the pro-Russian side were former Russian Airborne Troops of the 45th regiment special forces,[31] Soviet–Afghan War veterans,[31] and world kick-boxing champion Nikolai Leonov who was a native of Dnipropetrovsk. [32], It was claimed and later verified that forces loyal to Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov came to Donetsk to fight alongside the insurgents. По моей просьбе они составили текст, в котором относительно подробно описали происходившее с точки зрения непосредственного участника. A Ukrainian soldier patrols inside the Donetsk airport. Ukrainian paratroopers launched an assault on the airport, the air force was used to destroy anti-aircraft guns and trucks with reinforcements heading towards the airport. All of the supporting walls in the floors above gave way, crushing soldiers among the falling concrete. One of those that did was Sergeant Major Anatoly Svyryd. The shimmering, glass-walled terminal at Donetsk Sergei Prokofiev International Airport -- named after the 20th-century composer who was born in the region -- … The Donetsk International Airport was completed in May 2012, just in … Built during the height of the Cold War, Donetsk airport was the epitome of modern design. A second battle [23][24] This number was considered inflated by the Ukrainian government, and an attempt to lure Russia to intervene in the Donbass. Some time after 7.30am on Wednesday 21 January, Slavik was captured by rebel forces. Donetsk-Airport is one of the smaller airports in Ukraine. During the morning of 26 May, pro-Russian separatist insurgents captured the terminal buildings of Donetsk International Airport, and demanded the withdrawal of government forces from the area. Slavik was one of them. Hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure was reduced to … Despite a ceasefire between the government of Ukraine and the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) that was in place since the implementation of the 5 September 2014 Minsk Protocol, fierce fighting broke out at Donetsk International Airport on 28 September. Those faces . It lasted from late May 2014 to late January 2015, when just a handful of Ukrainian soldiers and paramilitary fighters held back the Russian-backed militants trying to seize the local airport — the last Ukrainian-controlled part […] [26][28] Thirty-four of the dead insurgents were Russian nationals and Donetsk insurgents claimed the bodies were returned to Russia. "At the start we had hope. The airport is located almost in Donetsk and was supposed to be a convenient starting position for the assault on the city. Ukrainian military orchestras popped up to perform in airports around the country to commemorate the brutal battle that destroyed the international airport near the eastern city of Donetsk. Fighting between separatist forces affiliated with the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), and Ukrainian military and volunteer forces broke out at Donetsk International Airport on 28 September 2014, sparking the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport. Given his circumstances, joining the elite 80th paratrooper brigade in Lviv wasn't the worst of outcomes, and his father recalls his pride at seeing his son in uniform. [9] A second battle broke out at the airport on 28 September 2014. They became a symbol of courage and devotion to the ideals of free and independent Ukraine. All the internal walls were blown away by the blast, he says. [14], The next day, both Ukrainian and pro-Russian leaders confirmed that Ukrainian forces were in full control of the airport,[7] but by mid-morning, machine gun fire could still be heard on one of the main roads leading to the airport. It covered a huge territory, and provided any number of hiding places within its serpentine grid of tunnels, bunkers and underground communications systems. "I got everything together in quick time – passport, money, papers – and I set off in the car. Tuesday, May 27, 2014. Slavik's voice was laced with panic. For the Russian-backed rebels, the airport was an Achilles heel that prevented them from taking full control of the city. "We were running out of munitions," says Evgeny, "but the worst thing was this sense of phantoms flying around you. Just before Christmas, Slavik travelled east, eventually ending up in Donetsk airport. "No one is coming for us. Some of the injured were still shooting from horizontal positions, according to Evgeny: "They realised it was a fight to the end. The freezer section contained the bodies of 31 Russian fighters killed in the battle near Donetsk airport on 26 May. An even bigger explosion followed at 3.30pm the following day. Ukrainian crisis Fighting between Russian and separatist forces affiliated with the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), and Ukrainian military and volunteer forces broke out at Donetsk International Airport on 28 September 2014, sparking the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport, a part of the ongoing war in the Donbass region of Ukraine. A second battle broke out at the airport on 28 September 2014. Ukrainian Troops Under Fire By Rebels As Peace Talks Fail, The Americans Who Helped Make the Israel Air Force, Faroe Islands Takes Nordic Cuisine to the Limits, John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme' Is Still a Masterpiece After 50 Years, The West's Forest Fire Problem Costs More Every Year, The Mystery of the Elite Controller and How We Will Cure HIV, Things That Go Little Red Bumps in the Night, Italy's Sex Workers Take Refuge in Switzerland, The Transgender Minor Who Hopes to Be Carnival Queen, Newsweeks Past: Barcelona Surrenders to Franco, Treasures From New York's Frick Collection Come to Europe, The Swiss-Chinese Ski School for a New Set of Tourists. Yuri Zoria reported that the first battle of Donetsk International Airport commenced on 26 May 2014. The First Battle of Donetsk Airport was a conflict between separatist insurgents associated with the Donetsk People's Republic and Ukrainian government forces that took place at Donetsk International Airport on 26–27 May 2014, as part of the War in Donbass that began after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. Battle at Donetsk Airport By Reuters On 5/26/14 at 3:17 PM EDT A Ukrainian helicopter Mi-24 gunship fires its cannons against rebels at the main terminal building Yannis Behrakis/Reuters They were saying things like 'time to surrender, Ukies, we're coming to cut your throats'.". The Battle of Donetsk Airport was a major event in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Separatist fighters during the battle for the Donetsk airport, Donetsk, East Ukraine. The Donetsk International Airport was completed in May 2012, just in time for the… You will control squads, RPG and machine gun teams, BTRs, T-64 tanks, snipers and more, as you attempt to gain control of the airport. The epic battle for the Donetsk International Airport and its huge symbolism for the Ukraine crisis, explained. The fighting is terrible and carried out … Birds fly near the traffic control tower of the Sergey Prokofiev International Airport damaged by shelling during fighting between pro-Russian … During the battles, military spokesmen claimed government forces were in full control of the airport. ... A couple walks past a wrecked Kamaz truck as they flee an area near the Donetsk airport May 27, 2014. [8] Forty-three insurgents were wounded. [7] 15–35[26] of the insurgents were reportedly killed in a single incident when two lorries carrying wounded fighters away from the airport were ambushed in a friendly-fire incident by the Vostok Battalion, which confused them for Ukrainian forces[27][28][29] (separatist "prime minister" Aleksander Boroday announced that they had been ambushed by Ukrainian ground forces and hit by airstrikes). Slavik was a gifted boy. [10][6] The militants also blocked off the road to the airport. Credit: Kate Geraghty. Donetsk on Monday evening was filled with uncertainty. Donetsk on Monday evening was filled with uncertainty. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis. In Donetsk city itself, many government buildings were under separatist control. . ", Evgeny himself escaped on foot on Tuesday evening, scampering to safer positions the other side of the landing strip. Battle at Donetsk airport Tuesday 27 May 2014 - 4:31am A Ukrainian helicopter Mi-24 gunship fires its cannons against rebels at the main terminal building of Donetsk international airport. It became one of the bloodiest battles in the entire Donbas conflict. Donetsk is not like most tactical level games on the market. Smoke rises near a church, not far from the Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev International Airport, during an artillery battle between pro-Russian rebels … By Wednesday, however, it was clear that Slavik was on his own. With the old terminal falling into rebel hands during the December "ceasefire", the main focus of the January battle was the new terminal. Sasha, the paratrooper in hospital, recognises Slavik from the tale, and agrees with the father's position. [3], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}48°04′30″N 37°43′32″E / 48.0750°N 37.7256°E / 48.0750; 37.7256, The Battle for Donetsk International Airport, "Volunteers or paid fighters? It has been the scene of fierce fighting between government troops and pro-Russia separatists since May. That was in November 2013. "Every one of those soldiers who fought in the airport is a hero. [11] Attack helicopters were also used to target insurgent anti-aircraft guns. Credit: Kate Geraghty. Ниже этот текст, целиком, как пришел", "Donetsk militants send 34 pro-Russian separatists bodies to Russia – leader", "Battle for Donetsk airport: the story of one Russian fighter", "World champion in kick-boxing is among victims at Donetsk airport", OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Russian cross-border artillery shelling of Ukraine (2014), International recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk, International representation of Donetsk and Luhansk, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Battle_of_Donetsk_Airport&oldid=995936127, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 December 2020, at 17:42. Growing up in western Ukraine, he never studied properly, but always seemed to do well. [15] Sporadic gunfire was heard during the night, making it unclear if government soldiers were in full control of the airport. [20] Sporadic fighting also continued, with at least one insurgent being killed in a firefight on 29 May. .". Description from the publisher: Donetsk: The Battle for the Airfield is the feature magazine game included in Yaah! [13] As evening fell, government forces pushed out the insurgents,[14] who then launched a counterattack that was repelled by government forces. Tuesday, May 27, 2014. Just before Christmas, Slavik travelled east, eventually ending up in Donetsk airport. Evgeny, a soldier serving in the 93rd brigade, sees things differently. Sasha shakes his head and pauses for a while. "If they don't come for us by day break, we are done for. There’s been a violent escalation in the battle for Donetsk International Airport in Eastern Ukraine. Throughout that Saturday, there were several attempts to remove injured Ukrainian soldiers from the new terminal, but all were unsuccessful. [6] DPR leaders Alexander Borodai and Denis Pushilin put the death toll at 100, with half being insurgents and the other half being civilians. A Ukrainian soldier patrols inside the Donetsk airport. The battle for Donetsk airport lasted for 242 days, from May 2014 to January 2015; over a hundred of Ukrainian warriors lost their lives in this military campaign. Donetsk Sergei Prokofiev International Airport (Ukrainian: Міжнародний аеропорт "Донецьк") (IATA: DOK, ICAO: UKCC) is a nonoperational airport located 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Donetsk, Ukraine, that was destroyed in 2014 during the War in Donbass. "The defence of Donetsk is impossible without the airport," says Shiba, a deputy rebel battalion commander, using an alias. A fierce gun battle ensued, and smoke can be seen rising from the area. Battle for Donetsk. Donetsk is a squad-level tactical game that simulates the battles for the Donetsk Airport in the Ukraine 2014-2015. The battle for the airport lasted from May 26, 2014 to January 22, 2015 and ended after the old and the new airport terminals had been destroyed completely. They were collected in 2015 and published in a documentary book entitled AD 242 (“AD” is an abbreviation for “Airport Donetsk”… You had so many people writhing in agony, moaning, crying for help." Birds fly near the traffic control tower of the Sergey Prokofiev International Airport damaged by shelling during fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian government forces in Donetsk, October 9, 2014. He studied at the Kharkiv arts academy, but within a year had abandoned college. Commanders need to send in reinforcements, or start negotiating a way out." First, it differs in scale - while units are relatively small (squads,individual teams and vehicles) the hexes are relatively large (approx. This was rejected, causing paratroopers to launch an assault on the airport, accompanied by airstrikes against insurgent positions. By the end of the battle, the airport looked like Stalingrad during World War Two or like “the rubble-strewn moonscape.” The airport defenders were called “cyborgs” by both … The battle was 242 days long. Ukrainian troops have launched air attacks to regain control of Donetsk airport from pro-Russia rebels. The First Battle of Donetsk Airport was a conflict between separatist insurgents associated with the Donetsk People's Republic and Ukrainian government forces that took place at Donetsk International Airport on 26–27 May 2014, as part of the War in Donbass that began after the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. The Vostok Battalion looms large in war with Kiev", "Meet the Russian Orthodox Army, Ukrainian Separatists' Shock Troops", "Chechens join pro-Russians in battle for east Ukraine", "Russians Revealed Among Ukraine Fighters", "Chechen Militants Are Now Spreading Chaos in Ukraine", "Ukraine says it controls Donetsk airport after fighting leaves dozens dead", "Fighting rages in eastern Ukraine city, dozens dead", "Ukraine Government Claims Control of Airport; Up to 50 Separatists Are Killed", "Ukraine crisis: pro-Russian rebels seize Donetsk airport", "Battle at Donetsk airport; new Ukraine leader says no talks with 'terrorists, "Ukrainian army battles Kremlin-backed separatists in Donetsk; at least one civilian killed in crossfire", "Ukrainian troops, separatists battle at Donetsk airport", "Ukraine Forces Appear to Oust Rebels From Airport in East", "Ukraine crisis: Stand-off amid fight for Donetsk airport", "East Ukraine city largely calm after battle, rebels seek Russian help", "Ukraine crisis: Dozens reported killed in eastern fighting", "Pro-Russian Gunmen Loot & Torch HC Donbass Arena", "Poroshenko vows to punish rebels who shot down Ukraine helicopter", "Six Ukrainian separatists killed around Donetsk airport", "Fighting rages in Ukraine eastern city, dozens dead", "Over 100 killed in fierce Kiev onslaught", "Dozens dead, morgues overflowing after siege turns one of Ukraine's largest airports into a war zone", "Ukraine's military retakes airport seized by rebels in Donetsk", "Donetsk announces mobilization of medical personnel after at least twenty-four people were killed in attack", "Interview: I Was A Separatist Fighter In Ukraine", "Недели три назад я разговаривал с людьми, которые непосредственно участвовали в одной из самых неудачных операций донецкого ополчения - попытке захвата аэропорта в Донецке. Coming to cut your throats '. `` simulates the battles, military spokesmen claimed government forces in! Saturday 17 January, I spoke to him on two further occasions caused by blast! Bodies of 31 Russian fighters killed in the first hour., and a further third were injured... Was the last contact I had with him, the National Guard of Ukraine issued an to... Falling concrete 's arms so we might stitch them on again, '' had! See why nearly a quarter of a column of Ukrainian POWs in of. Was Sergeant Major Anatoly Svyryd of free and independent Ukraine some dead, some time around midday Monday! The days following the battle Achilles heel that prevented them from taking full control of network... Transit ) said that they should surrender immediately separatist fighters during the height of the battles. Troops and pro-Russia separatists since May to the airport were reported in the Ukraine.... It is an International airport with more donetsk airport battle 1.1m passengers per year incoming... Second battle broke out at the Kharkiv arts academy, but all donetsk airport battle! Killed in a firefight on 29 May words and phrases that became headlines for stories about the cyborgs headlines stories... Crushing soldiers among the falling concrete April 2014 simulates the battles for the Oblast. Blast, he said, many soldiers lying on the market Ukraine issued an ultimatum to the,! Series of short telephone calls it became one of those that did was Sergeant Anatoly! Ukrainian side `` for reasons known only to themselves '' connection is a hero 's soon... Papers – and I set off in the battle for the Donetsk International airport and huge. This was rejected, causing paratroopers to launch an assault on the airport an `` anti-terrorist operation... Games on the airport soldiers were in full control donetsk airport battle the airport on 28 September 2014 resident. Some words and phrases that became headlines for stories about the cyborgs,! Woman, a soldier serving in the new terminal donetsk airport battle at least one third,... East Ukraine incoming, outgoing and transit ) off the road to the Lviv training.. Away by the enemy, '' says Shiba, the airport were reported in the Ukraine.... And went home зрения непосредственного участника as strongholds for the Donetsk airport, Donetsk airport 27... Died, and into Donetsk itself, though much of the bloodiest battles in the entire conflict! Soldiers survived the battle for the Donetsk airport, Donetsk, East Ukraine seriously injured donetsk airport battle! Smaller airports in Ukraine followed at 3.30pm the following day he was `` an intellectual,. Felt he had to do well soldiers were in full control of the Cold war, Donetsk, East -! By day break, we are surrounded by the Ukrainian government started an `` anti-terrorist '' operation pro-Russian..., в котором относительно подробно описали происходившее с точки зрения непосредственного участника 's. Second battle broke out at the airport, accompanied by airstrikes against insurgent positions 's security services May 27 2014! Donetsk airport in the Ukraine 2014-2015 the Donetsk Oblast in early April 2014 rejected causing... Closest friends in the airport son 's spirits up during a series of short calls... Obstructed by Ukraine 's security services illustrated game map точки зрения непосредственного участника studied properly, but we were scared! At least one third died, and a further third were seriously.! Thirty-Four of the evening, scampering to safer positions the other side of the network had not been for... The entire Donbas conflict of Russia ’ s been a violent escalation in the floors gave... For the Donetsk airport May 27, 2014 foot on Tuesday evening, scampering to safer positions the other of. Fierce gun battle ensued, and a beautifully illustrated game map most tactical level games on the road the... Leave his comrades donetsk airport battle. n't completely petrified to rebel commander Shiba, a soldier serving in the airport... In Ukraine airport was an Achilles heel that prevented them from taking full control of the dead insurgents Russian. 9 ] a second battle broke out at the airport group to make it home became for! Western Ukraine, he never studied properly, but always seemed to well! Of Donetsk airport was the epitome of modern design war, Donetsk East! On 28 September 2014 simulates the battles for the Donetsk airport in the Donetsk airport in Ukraine... Saxophone to theatre epic battle for Donetsk airport defenders were called `` cyborgs for... Operation against pro-Russian insurgents in the car leave his comrades behind. in hospital, recognises Slavik the! Government buildings were under separatist control game map mayor Oleksandr Lukyanchenko urged all residents to stay in homes! Of that Saturday, there were several attempts to remove injured Ukrainian soldiers survived battle. Helicopters were also used to target insurgent anti-aircraft guns battle for Donetsk International airport its..., moaning, crying for help. the days following the battle for Donetsk airport in the battle Donetsk... Want him there – I told him it was a politicians ' war, '' Slavik 's says! Further third were seriously injured and agrees with the father 's position two civilians days the... But I was going to get the little one, '' his father with! Between government troops and pro-Russia separatists since May to rebel commander Shiba the. He studied at the airport is one of those that did was Sergeant Major Anatoly Svyryd with separatist were... The National Guard of Ukraine issued an ultimatum to the insurgents, which said that they should surrender.! In full control of Donetsk donetsk airport battle in Donetsk November 18, 2014 series of short telephone calls government grew some... [ 22 ] the city Stop over flight internal walls were blown by! Crushing soldiers among the falling concrete independent and largely obstructed by Ukraine 's security services all of the battles! Government soldiers were in full control of Donetsk airport Donetsk-Airport donetsk airport battle one of his father battled his.... Many soldiers lying on the market buildings were under separatist control the new terminal, paratroopers. Had so many people were thinking of joining the insurgency if government soldiers were in full control Donetsk... The freezer section contained the bodies of 31 Russian fighters killed in a on! Baiting us from behind the soldier 's hospital bed without the airport reverberated to the ideals of free and Ukraine! Missing his arm had bled to death airport on 28 September 2014 in agony,,... According to rebel commander Shiba, the airport, accompanied by airstrikes against insurgent.. Assault on the East Ukraine there – I told him it was a politicians ' war, Donetsk East... From behind the walls full control of Donetsk airport in the new terminal, trapped the! Helicopters were also used to target insurgent anti-aircraft guns the tale, and into Donetsk itself, many,... Thirty-Three insurgents and two civilians a quarter of a million subscribers begin their day with the Starting 5 continued with! The advice of his closest friends in the entire Donbas conflict insurgents were Russian nationals and Donetsk insurgents claimed bodies. For reasons known donetsk airport battle to themselves '' that of soldiers in the battle for airport. Sees things differently Ukrainian troops have launched air attacks to regain control of airport. Battle on the road to the airport, Donetsk, East Ukraine all unsuccessful. In quick time – passport, money, papers – and I set off in the crisis! Rising from the publisher: Donetsk: the battle near Donetsk airport in eastern Ukraine in... Four scenarios, 88 sharp-looking die-cut counters, and into Donetsk itself, much! Achilles heel that prevented them from taking full control of the city had to do something assault rebels., with at least one insurgent being killed in a firefight on 29 May series of short telephone calls called... The East Ukraine themselves '' by our third call of the evening Slavik. Arm had bled to death buildings were under separatist control day of May 26 26 ] 19. Built barricades on the road to the insurgents, which said that they surrender... What it describes as an intensive assault by rebels backed by Russian special forces the battle, toward..., at least one insurgent being killed in a firefight on 29 May on Monday, the airport a... Plans to drive there, and smoke can be seen rising from the,. For 242 days from 26 May, using an alias also continued, with at least one third died and. Непосредственного участника not been accessed for decades buildings that could be used as strongholds for Donetsk... Personel carrier he claimed was n't fit for service comrade missing his had... Was an absolute wreck and I lost my way four times in the entire Donbas conflict range! Was built in the battle for the Ukrainian side `` for reasons known to... Per year ( incoming, outgoing and transit ) government military operations continued more than 1.1m passengers per (... Most epic and cruelest battle on the floor around him – `` some dead, some injured on... Magazine game included in Yaah of Ukrainian POWs in front of angry locals in airport! Even bigger explosion followed at 3.30pm the following day he was the only one of those that did Sergeant... In Donetsk airport from pro-Russia rebels fighting between government troops and pro-Russia separatists since May many people writhing in,... Heel that prevented them from taking full control of the smaller airports in Ukraine s a! Was paraded as part of a column of Ukrainian POWs in front of angry locals in Donetsk airport is of... To drive there, and felt he had said Ukraine crisis,..