Belousov presented the Gold Star medal to the family of the deceased Hero of Russia Chirkov

For the courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov presented the country's highest state award, the Gold Star Medal, to the wife and daughters of the Hero of Russia, Junior Lieutenant Konstantin Chirkov, commander of the paratrooper platoon of the Guards Airborne Assault Force.

During the repulse of the attempted invasion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on the territory of the Russian Federation in the Kursk region, the officer carried out a combat mission to capture an enemy stronghold.

Second Lieutenant Chirkov led the assault group, stealthily approached the enemy's defensive positions and joined the battle. Using hand fragmentation grenades and small arms fire, a group led by Second Lieutenant Chirkov stormed a stronghold and killed more than 20 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, three of whom the officer personally destroyed.

"We went in, cleared this stronghold, and then we began to move on, looking for more advantageous positions for ourselves. If we had already moved away from there, they would have already come almost close to the settlements," the deputy commander of the assault company with the call sign Bikus told Izvestia correspondent Alexander Safiulin.

According to the officer's colleagues, the AFU units used FPV drones and artillery to attack the position, which was under Chirkov's control, twice from three directions.

"Armored groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine pulled up, FPV drones began to work without stopping. <...> The Chir was running out of ammunition, and it decided to take another stronghold," said the operator of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the call sign Shorets.

Despite the organized all-round defense, several Russian soldiers in the assault group were injured in various degrees of severity. Among them was the commander of the paratrooper platoon. After giving himself and his subordinates first aid, Chirkov organized the evacuation of the wounded, while he remained in position to cover their retreat. Realizing that the loss of the occupied stronghold would allow the AFU units to reach the positions of the Russian troops, the officer made sure by radio that the assault group entrusted to him had reached a safe place. After that, he called artillery fire on himself. As a result, three Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and dozens of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers were destroyed, but Chirkov himself died after receiving life-threatening injuries.

"A good, great guy. He will always come to the rescue. He was brave, and he never gave up. <...> He fought to the very end. He saved his people. Destroyed the enemy. In life, he is a modest, calm man," added the deputy battalion commander with the call sign Kornet.

By decree of the President of the Russian Federation, Junior Lieutenant Konstantin Chirkov was awarded the honorary title "Hero of the Russian Federation" (posthumously).

Victorious "Breakthrough": a diorama of a heroic tank battle was opened in Moscow

An exhibition dedicated to the exploits of tankers and home front workers has started operating at the Kiev Railway Station.

Earlier, on September 26, Belousov presented Gold Star medals and personalized firearms to Russian servicemen who distinguished themselves while performing combat missions during a special military operation. Belousov also thanked the Russian soldiers for their exemplary performance of tasks, courage and heroism.

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