In a conversation with his colleagues, Captain Navy Ruslan Popov said, “We have gathered on the basis of one principle: “Homeland. To protect. We must”. And that’s exactly what he was – a loyal comrade-in-arms, brave to the last breath.

The defender of Ukraine graduated from a military school in Kyiv and became a Special Forces intelligence officer. He had a long-service pension. However, in 2014, when russian aggression in Donbas began, he could not stand aside.

At the time of a full-scale invasion, Ruslan Popov was in Mariupol. At the end of March, he managed to escape the encirclement, but still returned there as part of evacuation flights to take the wounded people from Azovstal.

The officer of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine gave his life during a special operation in the South of Ukraine, defending the country against the invader.

Ruslan Popov received a number of awards: “For Courage while Performing Special Tasks”, “For Military Valour”, “For Devotion to Military Intelligence”, “To Defender of the Homeland”, “For Participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation”, a UN medal, and several commemorative awards.

According to a Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 505, he was posthumously awarded with the “Golden Star” Order of Hero of Ukraine.