"We shot down five Ukrainian Su-25s, and then we also shot down an Mi-24"
After an hour of talking to this man, all questions about why he has such a call sign - Predator - fall away. Dmitry, from the 155th Independent Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet, destroyed five enemy planes and two helicopters, took part in the liberation of Mariupol and led an assault group into the village of Novomikhailovka (DNR). Why he decided to link his life with military service, how he reacted during the first shelling and what he was awarded for - in the material "Izvestia".
The pilot did not want to be a pilot
Dmitry was born almost thirty years ago in one of the villages of Primorsky Krai, in the family of a serviceman - his grandfather and great-grandfather also served the Fatherland.
His military path began with enrollment in a cadet class after graduating from eight-year school.
- The educational institution was located in the city of Nakhodka. From ours - 47 kilometers. I had to travel that route by bus back and forth every day for several years," Dmitry shared his childhood memories.
After the cadet class he entered the civil aviation school located in the town of Sasovo in the Ryazan region. His father dreamed that the boy followed in his footsteps and became a pilot, though not military, but civilian.
After studying for a year, Dmitry realized that it was not his - "soul does not lie". As a result, he took back his documents and transferred to the Far Eastern Higher Combined Arms Command School.
After graduation, he was assigned to the 155th Independent Guards Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet.
The beginning of the SSO and the first shelling
In March 2022, Dmitry was assigned as a platoon commander of man-portable surface-to-air missile systems (MANPADS) and sent to the combat zone in the Kiev direction.
According to the officer, when he arrived at the location of the Airborne Assault Battalion (AAB), his platoon was assigned the task of covering our units from the air.
Then, on his first day on the line of contact, Dmitry and his personnel came under mortar fire.
- I remember, when my men and I were having lunch, we heard the whistling of mines. My comrades threw their plates, I only followed their example, because they were more experienced than me. But I tried not to give in to emotions. Although my pulse, of course, significantly increased, adrenaline jumped. And that was enough for me to quickly realize what was happening and where I had arrived," said Dmitry.
He admitted that at that moment he practically did not understand what MANPADS were.
- He had never even fired them before. I had to learn everything on the fly. I remember, an enemy reconnaissance drone flew to our position and a sergeant of my platoon with the call sign Mowgli showed me on a real example how to capture the target and shoot, destroying this "bird", - explained the officer.
Nationalist atrocities
According to him, it didn't take long to fight in the Kiev direction. Literally in a week the unit was transferred to the South Donetsk direction.
- I fought my first battle in Mariupol. We carried out the tasks of clearing one of the city districts. It was there that I met those very fierce nationalists from the Azov and Aidar battalions (recognized as terrorist organizations and banned in Russia). They are the most natural beasts," Dmitry emphasized.
In a conversation with Izvestia, he recalled one episode that still gives him goosebumps.
- We were in the area of the city hospital. There we took a foothold in one of the residential buildings. Opposite us were two more five-story buildings. The enemy was sitting in them. At some point, a woman with a child ran out of the basement of one of these houses. A small one, about five years old, not older. She ran in our direction, at the same time waving her hand so that she would not be shot at. When we saw her, we started shouting, "Come quickly to us. But the nationalists shot her in the back. The woman fell to the ground. The child, apparently by inertia, ran forward. After he stopped and turned around, came up to her. He stood there not knowing what to do. The Nazis shot him in the head," he emotionally shared.
The first order
He received his first combat award - the Order of Courage - for destroying an enemy Mi-8 helicopter.
- It was on the Ugledar direction in September 2022. Then together with his subordinate were in the location of the airborne assault battalion, provided air cover for the unit. We received information that aircraft were seen near Ugledar. We moved to the position. It was a dilapidated building. Quite a good place for an attack, - Dmitry notes, specifying that we had to wait for the target for more than three days.
On the fourth day, he said, a helicopter appeared.
- My subordinate saw it before I did. But because he chose his position poorly, he was unable to fire a shot. He signaled me that he saw the helicopter and indicated the direction. I grabbed the missile, made a target acquisition and fired. The weather was low clouds that day. So I saw my missile go into the clouds, and the helicopter flew on. But after a short time my "Igla" appears from the clouds and dives right into the engine of the machine. After that I watched the burning helicopter fall into the city center, hitting one of the houses," Predator said.
Dmitry notes that the events developed so quickly that he did not immediately realize what had happened.
- From the position we quickly went into hiding. Later I learned from the scouts that in the downed car was the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine with a group of special forces. As a result, I was awarded the Order, and my subordinate was awarded the Medal of Honor," the officer explained.
He received the second award for shooting down an enemy Su-25 attack aircraft.
- It happened a month after the first helicopter. The airplane was coming in on a combat course and we, as they say, took it from the same position. Even though the enemy tried to knock us out of there in every possible way, constantly shelling us with artillery, tanks and drones. Nevertheless, we did not leave and shot down a total of five Su-25 attack aircraft while we were there. And then we also shot down an Mi-24," the officer says proudly.
The battle for Novomikhailovka
- At the beginning of February last year, I led an assault group into the village of Novomikhailovka (DNR). We were the first units of the brigade to move there. The enemy's defense in this settlement was serious. Since 2022 our troops could not even get close to it. And our column of two tanks, two MTLBs and one BMP-3, before reaching the point where we were supposed to land, was shelled," Dmitry recalls the heavy battle.
The first tank, according to him, was stopped by an FPV drone, while the other vehicles were already under artillery fire.
- The second tank exploded on a mine. When I saw this picture, I ordered my subordinates to dismount. At that time I had 15 men. Under artillery and mortar fire we ran forward to the enemy positions through the minefield. There was nowhere to hide. About three hundred meters before the front edge of the enemy defense we were fired on from small arms, specifically from machine guns, from two positions, - recalls Predator.
However, everyone ran to the enemy positions.
- We broke into the line of trenches and captured three of their fighters. After that we started cleaning up the trenches. Then we consolidated our position. All under constant enemy fire. The original plan was to hold our position for 30 minutes. Then we were to be approached by companies of the paratrooper battalion. Having crossed us, they were supposed to develop an offensive. But it didn't work out that way. Because of the great density of fire, help did not come to us immediately. We, of course, held on. But in the second hour of the battle, all my personnel, including myself, were wounded, - said Dmitry, specifying that a shell exploded a meter away from him.
Then the officer's both legs were broken, his right arm and his eardrum was torn. But he did not lose consciousness. He managed to light his leg and report to his commander on the situation. Only after that he switched off. He woke up at the same place, looked around and got in touch. He continued to lead the defense of the outskirts of the settlement.
Treatment, rehabilitation, training
And after that there were several hospitals and more than one operation. Today he is already, as military people say, at the point of permanent deployment in Vladivostok, where his parents, wife and friends are.
In parallel with medical procedures, he does not leave the service.
- I hold classes with the personnel. I pass on my experience to the younger generation. This will come in handy for them. I know," the officer concluded our conversation.
For his exploits, Dmitry was awarded four Orders of Courage and the Medal of Honor.
