Denys Antipov, reservist killed in action, “Heroes never die if their story is told”

Appointed a reserve officer after his military service, Denys Antipov volunteered to join the Ukrainian army after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014. Specializing in reconnaissance drones, he joined the front lines of the Donbass for several missions.

Back in kyiv, the part-time serviceman also taught languages ​​at the Taras Shevchenko National University. Denys Antipov spoke perfect English. From our telephone exchanges a calm and determined voice shines through, which he will keep until the morning of Thursday, February 24, when we had to cancel our appointment.

“Un sense of duty deeply rooted in him“

The Russian invasion began a few hours earlier and the reservist is called, like tens of thousands of others, to join the front. Denys Antipov closes his shop and tells us, from this first day of war, of his desire to return to the ranks of the army as soon as possible to defend his country. The next day, he joined the 95th air assault brigade as a lieutenant, among the rapid reaction forces of the Ukrainian army. Direction the east of the country.

“This generation of young men or women who voluntarily engage in this war have such strong convictions… Up to the point of sacrificing themselves. Denys could not see himself elsewhere. It was a duty deeply anchored in him, to fight for the independence of his country and the freedom of Ukrainians”, still say his former teachers.