Ruslan Polovinko

Ruslan Polovinko (Ukrainian: Руслан Олександрович Половинко; 21 October 1969 – 6 August 1992) was an Ukrainian–Azerbaijani helicopter pilot and lieutenant, who participated in the Nagorno-Karabakh War within Azerbaijani military. Polovinko is one of the two Ukrainians awarded the title of National Hero of Azerbaijan, the other being Viktor Seryohin.^[1]

Biography

Polovinko was born on 21 October 1969, in the city Zmiiv of the Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine. In 1987, he enrolled at the Syzran Higher Military Aviation School in the Syzran, Russia. After graduating from High School in 1991, he was sent to serve in the Nakhchivan. After the formation of Azerbaijani Air Forces, he continued his service in the Baku Helicopter Squadron.^[2]

Military service

From 1991, he began to fight in the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Polovinko showed high heroism at the battles for Gubadly, Lachin and Aghdere. On 6 August 1992, after the receipt of information about the siege of Azerbaijani military by the Armenian forces on the Kasapet height, the crew of Mi-24 helicopter, consisting of Ruslan Polovinko, Zakir Majidov (commander) and Javanshir Rahimov rushed to help them to evacuate. After three dangerous flights, they completely destroyed enemy troops and heavy machines and evacuated the injured and fallen soldiers from the dangerous area, but they heroically died during the fourth flight to this area.^[3]

Polovinko was buried in the city Zmiiv, in the Kharkiv Oblast of Ukraine. Polovinko was single.

Awards

Polovinko was posthumously awarded the title of the National Hero of Azerbaijan on 14 September 1992, by the decree №204 of the President of Azerbaijan Republic.

References

External links

• Polovinko Ruslan Aleksandroviç