Kupov, who hid his friend from a drone in his orphanage, became a Hero of the Russian Federation

In early March 2025, three scouts under the command of Mikhail Kupov in the rear of the Ukrainian army liberated two forest belts in a few days, but during the withdrawal, during an attack by an enemy drone, the commander blocked a comrade and was mortally wounded. On May 10, paratroopers of the 83rd Separate Guards airborne assault brigade of the North group of forces who participated in the operation told about this.

"He had a difficult task, at that moment it was difficult to pass the line of contact, because the enemy was conducting [enhanced] reconnaissance of the approaches. It was decided to follow the route <...> between the battle formations (positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). — Ed.), where the enemy was definitely not sitting," an intelligence officer with the call sign Eustace told TASS.

The news is being updated