Defender of Mykolaiv — Dmytro Marchenko. The story of a general whose leadership did not let the Russians capture the southern Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv

The strength and courage of the Armed Forces of Ukraine inspired a lot of people around the globe. The Ukrainian servicemen have repeatedly proved their ability to carry out combat missions under extreme conditions. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Ukrainian Army has been praised by the West. According to the Pentagon, the effectiveness of Ukraine’s Armed Forces on a 10-point scale is 12 points.

But this appraisal is the result of years of meticulous work and reforms. When the Russian aggression started in 2014, Ukrainian Armed Forces had to reform. Hardened by fire and sword, Ukraine has received a whole new army. All this owing to experienced and skilled soldiers, sergeants, and generals.

Major General Dmytro Marchenko made a considerable contribution to the renewal of the Ukrainian army. He is one of the most prominent figures in Ukraine’s Armed Forces — he was in charge of defending Mykolaiv from the start of the full-scale war until April 2022. Though the city was one of the main targets for the Russians, they failed to capture it.

Ukrainians know Dmytro Marchenko as one of the most famous generals of the Russian war against Ukraine. He came into the public spotlight in 2014.

At the beginning of the Russian invasion of Crimea, he secretly snuck onto the peninsula to investigate the situation. Later, Marchenko was fighting in the hot spots in the Donbas and took part in the historic defense of the Donetsk airport.

His bravery did not go unnoticed. In 2014, he received the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III degree. Then-President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko presented the award to Marchenko for his heroism displayed during the protection of sovereignty.

But Marchenko is not only known for his bravery on the battleground. He was one of the reformers of the Ukrainian Army. In 2015, he headed the Development Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Thanks to Marchenko’s efforts, dry rations for soldiers have been updated.

Today, Marchenko is back on the battlefield. He is in charge of coordinating the defense of his small homeland — the south of Ukraine. Due to security reasons, his current work is kept secret. But Marchenko claims he will fight to the end under any circumstances.

Read more facts about Dmytro Marchenko’s life and achievements in our special project.