Typhoon saved five lives at the cost of his own

Yesterday Ukrainian Armed Forces Captain Volodymyr Kiyan, who many knew as Typhoon, was killed. Initially, it was reported that his death was linked to the shooting of a joint anti-smuggling group that took place the day before, but former minister Dmytro Bulatov refuted this information.

Typhoon saved five fellow soldiers at the cost of his own life, shielding one of them with his body.

“Typhoon died while carrying out a combat mission and saved five

Ukrainian Armed Forces Captain Volodymyr Kiyan. Callsign Typhoon. Killed on 3 September 2015 in the area of the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant, which is located on the outskirts of the city of Schastya and situated on the bank of the Siverskyi Donets River. He triggered a tripwire.

He was moving along the river as part of a six-man group. They had gone out to survey the area for enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups, as two tripwires had been triggered in the vicinity that morning.

At around 14:30, while the group was moving along the river, Typhoon was leading. He caught a tripwire set up in a grove of trees and bushes. Hearing the characteristic sharp click of the fuze activating (which takes 3–4 seconds to detonate), he reacted instantly and shouted: “Grenade!” He ran in the opposite direction, pushed the senior lieutenant commanding the group who was behind him, and shielded him with his body. Thanks to Typhoon, the other members of the group managed to move away and take cover. The explosion followed.

The tripwire was not attached to a grenade, but to an 82mm mortar mine with a grenade fuze. Regrettably, Volodymyr did not survive. The treacherous enemy trap proved fatal for him. Shrapnel struck him from behind, slipping under his shoulder blade and hitting him directly in the heart. The group commander, who was shielded by Typhoon, and the other four men survived.

The death of our comrade-in-arms is being linked to the mobile anti-smuggling group that was shot at the day before. This is untrue. The two incidents have nothing in common. It is groundless to link these cases. The place where Typhoon died (in the area of the Luhansk Thermal Power Plant) is approximately 15 kilometres (as the crow flies on the map) from the location where the mobile group was shot at on the morning of 2 September 2015 (in the area of the villages of Lobacheve and Lopaskino). These locations are on opposite sides of the city of Schastya along the Siverskyi Donets River.

Typhoon was experienced and seasoned. He was carrying out this combat mission as part of a reconnaissance group, whose members are eyewitnesses. What I have written is based on facts and evidence.

Volodya saved five comrades at the cost of his own life. He is an example of a true hero.

We sincerely express our condolences to his family. The loss of life is irreplaceable. He fought for the future of his family and every Ukrainian. We value and remember him.

He was respected. Deeply. Volodya lived by his conscience. He was a bright person. He will remain so in our hearts. Forever,” said Dmytro Bulatov.