"We fought for a week surrounded by superior enemy forces"
The title of Hero of Russia is awarded for actions that decide the fate of military operations or help save the lives of fighters. Major Mikhail Popov, being surrounded, held an important intersection for a week, calling fire on himself three times. Despite the ferocity of the fighting, he managed to get all his subordinates out of the ring alive. Captain Donir Tsydenov was defending an important sector of the front with his unit, and he died distracting enemy drones from a wounded vehicle. Izvestia talked with the heroes, their relatives and colleagues and learned how wives accompany their husbands to the front, what is difficult about fighting in an environment and why it is important to build a proper defense.
He called fire on himself three times
For the Hero of Russia, Major Mikhail Popov, the military special operation in Ukraine is not the first combat experience. Before that, he had been on a business trip to Syria.
—She caught me at a refresher course," he recalls. — I realized at the same moment that I would inevitably end up there — and so it turned out. My wife just gave birth. I came home from the course, stayed with my family for five days, and left for MY home. My wife accepted everything with fortitude. She's just used to what's needed, so it's necessary. An officer must do his duty.
So, in May 2022, Mikhail found himself on the Kharkov route. At this time, the enemy on one of the flanks achieved success and began to develop it.
"My battalion was making a withdrawal maneuver," he says. — We ended up at a crossroads.: Kharkov – Belgorod – Slatino, where they were surrounded. Even on the eve of the battle, at night, I understood that the enemy would put pressure on us and try to destroy us. We had a group of 16 military personnel. Having assessed the situation, he took up a defensive position.
In the early morning, the enemy conducted artillery preparation for an hour, and also launched a helicopter strike. After that, he went on the offensive with superior forces.
The group under Popov's command engaged in close-range shooting with the militants of the nationalist Kraken battalion (banned in the Russian Federation).
The neo-Nazis tried to enter his position from different sides several times a day, but the major's unit reflected the onslaught.
— We fought for a week surrounded by superior enemy forces. He called fire on himself three times. We completed the combat mission, I brought everyone out without losses," he says.
It was for this feat that Mikhail Popov was awarded the high title of Hero of Russia.
As part of the battalion of the 200th brigade, the major took part in combat operations in Lisichansk, Avdiivka and Ugledara. He was awarded the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree with swords for successfully completing combat missions in the Bakhmut direction. There, the guards organized a defense and held off the enemy's counteroffensive, preventing him from capturing key positions on the flank of the group fighting in the city. He also has a Suvorov medal.
The "Golden Star" of Hero Mikhail Popov was awarded at the national center "Russia".
"This award is a recognition of the merits of an officer who showed bravery and courage defending the Fatherland," he says. — This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. The most exciting thing was waiting. Then comes the realization that you have received the highest reward. The Hero of Russia has even more responsibility, the most important thing is not to be arrogant.
Major Mikhail Popov
Mikhail is currently a student at the Frunze Combined Arms Academy. We talk in between lectures. There are many veterans among his classmates who are members of the SVO. They share their combat experience and discuss the intricacies of military management theory.
The future hero was born in the village of Pechenga, Murmansk region, in the family of a serviceman.
"My father served in one of the Marine Corps units," he recalls. — There was no dilemma with choosing a future profession. Yes, sometimes there were thoughts of choosing a different path, but they didn't stay in my head for long. As a result, after graduating from high school, he entered the Far Eastern Higher Command School. By the way, my father also graduated from it.
He took the attack drone away from the "nurse"
I learned the story of Captain Donir Tsydenov's life and exploits from his family, friends and colleagues. Conversations are not easy. Donir died on the front line.
It happens that the exploits of the heroes are embellished, but in the case of Donir, this is not necessary. During his service, he was presented with two medals "For Bravery", the medal "For Military Honors", the medal "For Bravery" of the II degree, the medal "Participant in a special military operation".
On your own from the very beginning. In December 2022, he was wounded for the first time. After that, he underwent rehabilitation and returned to service in the summer of 2023.
"We spent a lot of time together, and I can say with full confidence that the description of his exploits is true," says the commander of one of the assault troops with the call sign Storm about his colleague.
He told how Tsydenov died while performing special tasks in the village of Velikaya Novoselka.
— It happened at the end of January 2025. Our battalion was carrying out a special task. We have reached the milestone. Donir, as the battalion commander, thought everything out well and organized a dynamic defense based on motorized maneuver groups," recalls an officer with the call sign Storm.
Thanks to the skilful actions of the battalion commander, the enemy lost 60 soldiers, five machine-gun emplacements, three AGS calculations, a UAZ Patriot-type vehicle and up to ten UAVs of various types. In addition, two warehouses with weapons and ammunition were found during the mopping-up of positions. Two servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were also captured.
— Wanting to recapture the positions, the nationalists began massive shelling, during which Donir received a shrapnel wound. But he continued to lead the fighters. We were waiting for the reserves to arrive. After waiting, the battalion commander gave the command to evacuate the wounded, covering the actions of the evacuation group with fire at the enemy. All personnel were evacuated to the sanitary zones in a timely manner," Burya notes.
Donir personally accompanied the ambulance on a motorcycle.
"On the way, he noticed an enemy FPV drone flying towards an ambulance," recalls Burya. — Donir diverted the attack drone away from the ambulance at high speed. As he was walking away from a collision with the first drone, he was attacked by the second one. Donir received multiple shrapnel wounds incompatible with life, and died on the way to the rear.
Donir Tsydenov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously) for his personal courage and bravery in defending the Fatherland and Russia's state interests in combat.
— Dedication to the Fatherland, his relatives, friends, team, and comrades-in-arms became the meaning of Donir's life. That was the gist of it, if you will. I'm sure he just couldn't live and act any other way. Perhaps these qualities were laid down in his childhood," says his colleague with the call sign Shah.
Donir's father, Badma Tsydypovich, says that his son was a modest, sympathetic and friendly guy. He was always smiling.
— You know, studying was easy for him. School scientific and practical conferences, Olympiads, contests — he took part in all this not because he was asked or forced, but of his own free will. And he always loved sports," says his father.
Donir was fond of athletics and gymnastics, won prizes in regional competitions and Olympiads in physical education.
— I have always been serious, conscientious, responsive, hardworking. He was also a loyal friend," emphasizes Badma Tsydypovich.
After successfully graduating from high school, Donir entered the Novosibirsk Higher Military Command School of the Order of Zhukov. During his cadet years, he was awarded a first-degree diploma in the army hand-to-hand combat tournament, and became the bronze medalist of the All-Russian tournament in the same discipline in Ussuriysk. He fulfilled the standard of a candidate for the Master of sports. In July 2022, Lieutenant Tsydenov received a diploma of successful completion of military school.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
