Mykola A. Nikonov (Nik, Arturych)

Mykola Arturovych Nikонов was born on August 9, 1985, in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region. He graduated from Kryvyi Rih Secondary School No. 85. He served in the 73rd Naval Center for Special Operations. In 2011-2012, he participated in international military exercises. Since 2014, he fought in Donbas, defending his country from Russian occupiers. That same year, he and his group from the 73rd Naval Center for Special Operations conducted a deep reconnaissance raid to the border with the Russian Federation near Novoazovsk in Donetsk region. On June 2, 2015, he participated in an attack by the 73rd Naval Center for Special Operations on a Russian military stronghold near the village of Chermalik in Donetsk region to destroy a mobile mortar of the occupiers that was shelling the village. In five years at the helm of his unit, he never took a vacation. He set three world records in the "Ironman" competition in the USA. The group led by Captain 2nd Rank Mykola Nikонов carried out a daring special operation in occupied Novoazovsk, penetrating 70 km behind enemy lines and detonating military supplies of the occupiers. During 12 days of heroic defense of Mariupol, his unit destroyed 6 units of military equipment and about 50 enemy personnel. Mykola Nikонов directed the movement of the unit to a more secure section of the defensive line and remained to cover the unit until the end. He heroically died on March 12, 2022, under fire from enemy multiple rocket launchers while leading a group that was encircled. A shell fired from an enemy BM-21 "Grad" hit the vehicle with the commander and the sergeant, but the unit successfully occupied a favorable defensive position. For his personal courage shown in the defense of the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and for his loyalty to the military oath, Mykola Arturovych Nikонов was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star.