Pruhlo Dmytro M (Kruhlyi)

On June 7, 2019, as a result of artillery shelling of the positions of the separate special forces unit "Azov" of the 12th Operational Brigade named after Dmytro Vyshnevetsky of the National Guard of Ukraine, two "Azov" fighters were killed — Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Pruhlo and Sergeant Maksym Oleksiuk. The so-called Svitlodarsk Arc has remained one of the hottest areas of the line of fire since the beginning of the undeclared war in the East. Disregarding all agreements, the enemy continues to fuel the conflict in Donbas and carries out provocative artillery shelling of Ukrainian positions daily. Civilians suffer from this, whose lives mean nothing to pro-Russian militants. However, the main target of the separatists remains our servicemen. This was also the case on that terrible night when 10 "Azov" warriors, who miraculously survived that hell, sustained injuries and concussions of varying degrees. For Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Pruhlo (call sign "Round"), that terrible night became the last one… In his lifetime interview, which Senior Lieutenant Dmytro Pruhlo gave to a journalist from one of the Ukrainian TV channels two months before his death, he was talking about this usual tactic of the militants: "They leave their permanent deployment location in Horlivka, shell us, and return, hiding behind the backs of civilians while waiting for our response. Or, before the arrival of the OSCE mission members, which they somehow learn about, they specifically shell with mortars to provoke us into returning fire in front of international observers…". Dmytro Pruhlo from Poltava was 28 years old. He began his combat path as part of "Azov" since the formation of the unit in 2014. "Round" participated in all key battles of the unit, repeatedly demonstrating his bravery and professionalism. In 2015, while still a lieutenant, he was awarded the medal "For Military Service to Ukraine." Having progressed from an ordinary fighter to the deputy commander of the company for personnel work, the officer remained a senior comrade to his subordinates. The guys recall that anyone could approach him with a problem, and he always found time to talk and do everything possible to resolve it. In particular, they sought various legal consultations. Despite the war, Dmytro managed to pursue a legal education remotely, and just a few days before his death, he even received a master's diploma. According to the memories of his combat friends, "Round" never lost heart, always remained a true optimist and a cheerful person, able to uplift any company, immediately becoming its soul. The officer was valued for his command skills by his direct commander, for whom Dmytro was a true support in the unit. "We all came to war the same, without experience, but he always held himself as if it were not his first war. He always understood what was happening around and what needed to be done," was said at the memorial ceremony for Dmytro, which took place on June 10 in his native Poltava. The mourning procession, which gathered not only Dmytro's comrades but also hundreds of concerned Poltava residents, passed through the streets of the city to the square in front of the Poltava Regional State Administration, where the farewell to the officer took place near the monument to those who fell for Ukraine's independence. Everyone who knew him could not hold back words of bitter sorrow, and everyone could say many warm words about him. "When I returned from the war, I told Dmytro that he should return too, he was needed here. He could have led any military or police unit. But he chose his path, defending us until the last," addressed the attendees Artem Pavlov, a close friend and comrade of Dmytro Pruhlo.