Warrant officer Alexey Melnikov and sergeant Sergei Litvinov.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
We continue to present the heroes of the special operation “Z”, participants in the fighting in Donbass. Soldiers, sergeants, corporals, and officers who demonstrated their professional experience, character, and completed combat missions. His determination, assertiveness and combat experience are highly appreciated by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Our heroes thwarted attacks and prevented nationalist counteroffensives, for which they received state awards. But they are not useful for praising. The military is confident that the enemy has no chance of success, because Donbass and Russia are fighting for a just cause.
“One must not think that blind courage gives victory over the enemy. But the only thing that is mixed with it is the art of war,” said Generalissimo Alexander Suvorov, who did not lose a single battle. During the Italian and Swiss campaigns, he admonished his soldiers with the words: “Military science must be learned in war, for every theater of war is a new theater.”
RETURNED AN ATTACK ON A SUPPLY COLUMN
Sergey Sergei LITVINOV
“Sergei Litvinov carried out combat missions to transport ammunition and fuel and lubricants to areas where Russian units were located. While he was driving, Sergeant Litvinov discovered a group of Ukrainian nationalists planning to mine the road. Units of Ukrainian nationalists, trying to deprive the Russian troops on the front line of supplies, attacked the column in which Sergei was moving. Litvinov quickly relayed the information to the column’s senior officer via communications. After assessing the enemy forces, the battalion’s tactical group attacked the militants. During the confrontation with the enemy, tactically choosing positions, Sergei destroyed 5 nationalists with small arms. Showing personal courage and professional qualities, Sergei Litvinov helped the convoy repel an enemy attack, preserving the life and health of his colleagues, and also ensured the timely delivery of ammunition to the Russian forces.
DISTRACT THE ENEMY ON YOURSELF
Guard Ensign Alexey MELNIKOV
“The commander of the guard reconnaissance group, non-commissioned officer Alexey Melnikov, carries out combat missions to destroy Ukrainian nationalists, capture and destroy their fortified fortresses, long-term fire installations, weapons and military equipment. Advancing into the mission area, the reconnaissance group under his command discovered a stronghold of Ukrainian militants holding the line in an important offensive line. Thanks to reconnaissance and covert actions, the unit quietly approached the militants’ positions. Covering the actions of the 2nd Russian reconnaissance group, which went to the rear of the defending enemy, Melnikov’s group attacked Ukrainian militants. As a result of the subsequent direct confrontation with a numerically superior enemy, and despite intense shelling from his side, Melnikov and his comrades destroyed the machine gun crew and up to twenty nationalists with targeted fire, breaking through their defenses. During the battle, two Russian servicemen were wounded; Alexey provided them with first aid and organized the evacuation. The bold and decisive actions of the guard non-commissioned officer Alexei Melnikov contributed to the further advance of Russian units in this direction. As a result of the group’s fulfillment of the assigned combat mission, conditions were created for a successful offensive of the second echelon of Russian troops.”
