Ruban, Pyotr Vasilievich

Born on June 11, 1950 in the village of Khilchichi, Seredino-Budsky District, Sumy Region, Ukrainian SSR, in a working class family. Ukrainian . Childhood passed in the village of Khilchichi, where his grandparents lived. He was brought up with them, while his mother worked at one of the enterprises of the city of Zaporozhye (Ukraine). Until the 5th grade he studied at the Khilchich school. After the eighth grade of a secondary school in the city of Zaporozhye, he entered the Zaporizhzhya Metallurgical College named after A. N. Kuzmin , at the same time worked as a steelmaker’s assistant at the Zaporizhstal plant , and visited the flying club. After graduating from a metallurgical technical school in 1969, he was appointed a metal pusher. However, he decided to devote his life to aviation.

In the Soviet Army in 1970-1971 and from November 10, 1971. In 1972 he graduated from the Chernigov Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots as an external student. Member of the CPSU since 1975. He served in the Red Banner Baltic Military District , in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany , since July 1982 - in the Red Banner Transcaucasian Military District .

Already in the second year of service, he was appointed a flight commander, who in the first year became the best. Then he served as chief of intelligence of the regiment, deputy commander of an aviation squadron, commander of an aviation squadron. In 1983 he distinguished himself in the Soyuz-83 exercises. For successes in military and political training, skillful upbringing and education of subordinates, he was awarded a Certificate of the Central Committee of the Komsomol and a valuable gift. In the summer of 1983, Major Ruban was asked to lead an air squadron in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan , and agreed without hesitation.

In mid-August 1983 - as part of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Since September 1983, he commanded an assault aviation squadron.

P.V. Ruban was a disciplined, competent, diligent officer-leader. To the performance of his official duties belonged with a sense of high responsibility. He did a great job regarding maintaining the unit in high combat readiness, he always monitored the combat training of the flight personnel and compliance with the requirements of documents on ensuring flight safety. He showed persistence and integrity. The personnel of the squadron under his command flew 1,119 hours, making 1,149 sorties. Fulfilled the task of covering troops and convoys, delivering air strikes against a cluster of rebels, warehouses with weapons and ammunition. According to the results of combat and political training, the squadron of P.V. Ruban was one of the best in the Air Force of a limited contingent of Soviet troops in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

P.V. Ruban was a first-class military pilot . I performed the flight tasks perfectly, hit the targets from the first call, flew boldly and confidently. Always decisively attacked ground targets, despite the anti-aircraft resistance of the rebels . He flew on aircraft L-29 , MiG-17 , MiG-21 , Su-17 . In 1982, he successfully retrained for the new Su-25 aircraft complex. He was prepared to conduct combat operations in full volume of the course of combat training. Competently taught the flight crew to the development and combat testing of a new aviation complex. The total flight time was 1765 hours. In the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, it performed 106 sorties, flew 96 hours.

Taking part in the Herat and Kunduz operations in November 1983, and in the Shindan and Farah operations in September-October 1983, he personally led the squadron 20 times to carry out combat missions. In December 1983 and in January 1984 he took part in the Bagram operation, during which he led a squadron ten times to destroy the rebel manpower and firing points. In difficult combat conditions, boldly, decisively, competently led the crew in the air. He himself found and suppressed anti-aircraft means of counteraction and only then allowed the flight crew to work at the facilities.

During his stay in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, he personally destroyed 14 DShKs , 3 strongholds , 6 cars, one warehouse of fuels and lubricants, 2 motorcycles, more than 300 mines, 3 guns, and about 250 rebels. Constantly taking part in the hostilities to defend the revolutionary gains of the Afghan people, he personally inspired his subordinates to complete assigned tasks. He enjoyed extremely great authority among the personnel.

On January 16, 1984, participating in the next operation to destroy the discovered gang of Dushmans, a squadron of 8 aircraft, led by Ruban P.V., dealt a massive blow in the area of ​​the settlement of Urgun . At the same time, the strike was carried out in conditions of strong opposition of the enemy anti-aircraft missile weapons. The squadron commander was the first to carry out the attack, however, at the exit from the dive, the Su-25 received damage from a missile and became uncontrollable. The pilot catapulted at a high roll angle and at low altitude, which did not provide full disclosure of the parachute .

Su-25 lieutenant colonel P.V. Ruban became the first attack aircraft shot down by MANPADS missile.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 17, 1984, for the courage and heroism shown in providing international assistance to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Lt. Col. Ruban Pyotr Vasilyevich was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumous).

He was buried at the Kapustyany cemetery in Zaporozhye.

He was awarded the Orders of Lenin (05/17/1984, No. 400692), "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd degree, medals.

The name of the Hero is street, secondary school No. 62 of the city of Zaporozhye, and a supertrawler, which was built in Nikolaev (Ukraine). Every year, a boxing tournament is held in the city of Sumy , dedicated to the memory of P.V. Ruban.

• Ruban, Pyotr Vasilievich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".