On Monday, February 8, on the fourth anniversary of the tragic death of Hero of the DPR and commander of the Somalia Battalion Colonel Mikhail Tolstykh (nom-de-guerre Givi), Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin laid flowers at the place of his burial at the Donetsk Sea cemetery in the capital, the press service of the Administration of the DPR Head reports.
Chairman of the Government Alexander Ananchenko, deputies of the People’s Council, the parents and relatives of Mikhail Tolstykh, soldiers from the Somalia Battalion came to pay homage and honor the memory of the Hero of the DPR.
Nina Tolstykh thanked her son’s fellow soldiers for honorably continuing his military work.
“He was the best and most caring son. He loved Donbass very much. Mikhail always made sure his guys had everything they needed. The brigade was a second family to him. I am very grateful that the guys have not forgotten him, that continue his work,” Nina Tolstykh said with tears in her eyes.
In turn, the Head of the DPR noted the outstanding personal qualities of Mikhail Tolstykh as a people’s commander.
“He liked to repeat: “The true heroes are our people”. And he was the first of them, the people’s commander, who became a legend during his lifetime for his fearlessness, military savvy, paternal, despite his young years, care for his comrades-in-arms.
His Somalia Battalion fought in the hottest spots of confrontation with Ukrainian armed forces. There were few who could equal to Mikhail Tolstykh on the battlefield. The enemy could not defeat him in an open battle, sent killers to the rear, showing the full extent of their cowardice and meanness,” Denis Pushilin said.
He stressed that Givi will forever remain in the memory of the inhabitants of the Republic.
“Thousands of boys from Donbass will be looking up to the deeds of Mikhail Tolstykh, continuing his military cause,” the country’s leader added.
On the same day, the Head of State paid tribute to the defenders of the Donetsk People’s Republic, resting in this cemetery, and laid flowers at the graves of soldiers on the Alley of Heroes, as well as at the monument to the first Head of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko.
Recall that Mikhail Tolstykh (nom-de-guerre Givi) was killed at 6:12 am on February 8, 2017 as the result of a terrorist attack. Givi took part in the battles for Slavyansk, in the defense of Ilovaysk and Snezhnoye, in the liberation of Uglegorsk and Debaltsevo. The culmination of Mikhail Tolstykh’s military career was the conquest of Donetsk Airport in the winter of 2015 — for this feat he was awarded the title of Hero of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
