Serhiy Viktorovych Kokurin (Ukrainian: Сергій Вікторович Кокурін; Russian: Сергей Викторович Кокурин; 1 January 1978 – 18 March 2014)[1] was a Ukrainian soldier who was shot dead during an assault on a Ukrainian military base in Simferopol.[1] He was the first soldier killed during the Russo-Ukrainian War.
Serhiy Kokurin Сергій Кокурін | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1 January 1978 Simferopol, Crimean Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Died | 18 March 2014 (aged 36) Simferopol, Ukraine |
| Allegiance |  Ukraine |
| Service |  Ukrainian Army |
| Years of service | 1997–2014 |
| Rank | Praporshchik |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Order For Courage 3rd grade (posthumously) |
| Children | 2 |
Biography
editSerhiy Kokurin was born on 1 January 1978 in Simferopol, Crimean Oblast (Ukrainian SSR, USSR). On 28 December 1997 he pledged his allegiance to the Ukrainian people. During his military service Kokurin went from private to warrant officer and was the chief of his unit's logistics service.[1]
On 18 March, Kokurin was killed on watch duty during the Russian assault on the 13th Photogrammetric Center of the Central Military Topographic and Navigation Main Directorate of Operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[1][2][3]
Russian press started to distribute fake that Kokurin was killed by a sniper. Ukrainian witnesses disprove this version: attackers broke into Ukrainian military establishment, opened chaotic fire with automatic weapons, and fired at the observation tower. Death report says "Kokurin was killed by two 5.45 mm bullets fired from the bottom up", proving that one of the fighters from Girkin's unit killed Kokurin.[4][5]
Kokurin was survived by his wife, son, and unborn child, all of whom relocated to Odesa.[2][3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Fallen Heroes: Serhiy Kokurin, warrant officer at photogrammetric center in Simferopol", Voices of Ukraine, 22 March 2014
- ^ a b "Під час штурму 13-го фотограмметричного центру Головного управління оперативного забезпечення Збройних Сил України у Сімферополі загинув на посту прапорщик Сергій Вікторович Кокурін" [Ensign Serhiy Viktorovych Kokurin died at his post during the storm of the 13th Photogrammetric Center of the Main Administration Operational Support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Simferopol]. Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (in Ukrainian). 20 March 2014. Archived from the original on 20 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
- ^ a b "Міноборони закликає допомогти сім'ї вбитого окупантами прапорщика" [The Ministry of Defense calls for the help of the family of the ensign killed by the invaders], UNIAN, 20 March 2014
- ^ "Первая смерть при аннексии Крыма". Крым.Реалии (in Russian). 2 May 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Шароградский, Андрей (18 March 2020). "Погибшие и пропавшие. Жертвы "бескровной" аннексии Крыма". Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 13 July 2023.