Cyborgs (Donetsk airport)

In March 2014, during the tragic events on the Crimean peninsula, servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were involved in the protection of

the Donetsk airport: from the 3rd separate special purpose regiment and the 95th separate airmobile brigade. The first attempt to seize the DIAP by supporters of the so-called DPR (unsuccessful) happened on 17 April 2014.

On 6 May, all flights through the Donetsk airport were suspended.

The second attempt to take control of the DIAP by the enemy took place on 26 May. Units of Russian terrorists and separatists entered the territory of the new terminal (Ukrainian special forces and paratroopers were in the old terminal). As a result of well-coordinated actions, the Ukrainian Air Force and Ground forces the enemy was pushed out of the new terminal.

Since then, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been located in the new DIAP terminal, as well as in the old terminal, at the control room and meteorological stations, in the fire department (since September 2014, volunteers from the "Right Sector" have also joined them).

From the end of May to the middle of August 2014, in addition to a group of special forces, there were servicemen of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade at the Donetsk airport (the entire military garrison of the airport numbered 138 people).

The first irreparable loss in the DIAP on the Ukrainian side occurred on 10 July 2014. The enemy fired mortars at the position of anti-aircraft gunners from the 72nd Brigade: one of the soldiers was killed. But almost until the end of September, the shelling and fighting on the territory of the WAR was short-lived and sporadic.

From the beginning of August 2014, control over the area adjacent to the Donetsk airport was assigned to the 2nd Battalion Tactical Group of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, units of the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment, and the 74th Reconnaissance Battalion. The headquarters of the battalion-tactical group was located in the village Novokalynove, a stronghold of the 4th company - in the village Pisky, another "support" was in the village Tonenke, and the 5th Company was directly stationed at the Donetsk airport.

On 28 September, two battles took place, killing 9 and wounding 14 servicemen. In addition, 2 BTR-80s were lost from enemy fire. One of the dead, Captain of the 93rd Brigade Serhiy Kolodiy, was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine (posthumously). Two T-72 tanks were operating against the Ukrainian side, one of which was destroyed by the crew of Captain Yevhen Mezhevikin (he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine).

A total of 53 servicemen were able to arrive at the DIAP on 28 September: 41 paratroopers of the 79th Separate Airmobile Brigade, 7 soldiers of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, and 3 sappers from the 91st Separate Engineering Regiment. After that, according to the documents, the defenders of the Donetsk airport were: 85 servicemen (including 7 officers), 7 units of armored vehicles, and 2 units of vehicles (in addition, several volunteers from the DUK PS).

Since 29 September, the area where the airport's defenders were stationed has been shelled several times with artillery and mortars.

On 3–6 October 2014, the enemy made several assault attempts. In these battles on the Ukrainian side, 11 soldiers were killed and many wounded.

On 3 October, a battle for the old terminal took place. The next day, the enemy lined up a tank from the 1st Tank Brigade, killing the entire crew. In October–November, there were mortar shellings, skirmishes, the assault on the control tower was also repulsed, snipers were working.

Burned tank, 24 December 2014

On 29 and 30 November, the old airport terminal was stormed. The defense was held by fighters of the 93rd and 79th separate mechanized brigades. As a result of the fighting, 2 servicemen were killed, and 6 were wounded. The Ukrainian side left the premises of the old terminal and concentrated on the territory of the new one.

Due to the fact that the garrison of the airport constantly consisted of representatives of various units and detachments, it was decided to eventually transfer this object under the control of one military formation. It was to be the 81st Airmobile Brigade, which began to form as part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in August 2014. The settlements of Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka of the Donetsk region were determined as the permanent location of the brigade. It was the servicemen of this brigade who took part in the final - the most tragic battles for the resort in January of the following year.

As of 26 November, the 81st separate mechanized brigade was included in the combat forces in the area of the Anti-Terrorist Operation. On 1 December, part of the 1st company-tactical group of the 90th battalion of the 81st was transferred as a garrison from the village Pisky to the airport.

As a result of regular peace talks, an agreement was reached on a complete ceasefire in the anti-terrorist operation zone starting at 10:00 on 9 December 2014. According to these agreements, from now on, the DIAP was to rotate through the "green corridor" - a checkpoint for separatists and Russian terrorists. Ukrainian soldiers had the right to carry only firearms and a limited number of ammunition. Separatists and terrorists have the right to search the checkpoint of servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[10]

The "green corridor", which Ukrainian soldiers called the "corridor of shame", lasted a little over a month. In January 2015, hostilities resumed.

The last "peaceful" rotation was on the night of 12–13 January. The next one took place with a fight - without a "corridor of shame", on the night of 13–14 January 2015. On this day, fighters from the 7th and 9th companies of the 80th separate airmobile brigade arrived. They replaced the soldiers of the 93rd separate mechanized brigade. On 13 January, the control tower collapsed.

On 15 January, the enemy captured the upper floors of the new terminal. The next day there was a fight on the territory of the terminal and a gas attack. 17 January - fight for the fire department of the airport. The last organized evacuations of the wounded were carried out on the night of 17–18 January and 18–19 January.

On 19 January, terrorists blew up the terminal for the first time, dropping bags of explosives. The explosion was so powerful that the walls formed, breaking the roof and ceiling. The building was visible through.

The day of 20 January began with an unsuccessful attempt to break into the new terminal of the group of the commander of the 90th Battalion Oleg Kuzminyh. Only one MT-LB reached its destination, where most of its personnel died.

At 14:56 there was a second explosion in the new terminal. About three tons of TNT - three floors of the terminal ceased to exist. Inside, less than half of the 55 defenders who remained survived. The last 16 people surrendered on 21 January. The seriously wounded were sent to hospital, the rest were tortured.[10]

On 22 January 17, prisoners were forced to walk the streets of Donetsk in the so-called "Parade". The Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office classifies such acts as a violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.[11][12]

Over the next few days, several dozen militants on the outskirts of the resort were killed by Ukrainian intelligence. On 27 January, the Armed Forces recaptured part of the airport to retrieve the bodies of seven dead soldiers.[13]

The last five "cyborgs" were given to the Ukrainian side on 22 February 2015, in exchange for 139 to 52.[14]

In March 2015, on the territory of the new terminal, Ukrainian prisoners under the escort of armed separatists cleared the debris and retrieved the bodies of their dead comrades. The remains were taken to the Donetsk morgue, and later transferred to the city of Dnipro.[10]