Gaponenko, Pavel Nikolaevich

Born September 18, 1961 in the city of Lokhvitsa, Poltava region of Ukraine . Ukrainian . Father - Nikolai Pavlovich Gaponenko, driver; mother - Gaponenko Nina Andreevna, seamstress of the Lokhvitsky consumer services plant. In 1977 he graduated from the eight classes of the Lokhvitsky secondary school No. 2. From 1977 to 1979 he studied at the Minsk Suvorov Military School in the 5th company ^[1] .

In the Armed Forces since 1979 . In 1983 he graduated from the Kharkov Guards Higher Military Command Tank School named after the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR . He served in the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany and the Far East ^[1] .

In the Far East, he served in the village of Smolyaninovo, Primorsky Territory, Far Eastern Military District, in the 141st Guards Tank Regiment as a tank company commander, chief of staff of a battalion, deputy chief of staff of a regiment, and when the regiment was disbanded, he was transferred to the 55th Marine Division , and then to the operational department of the Coastal Forces of the Pacific Fleet ^[1] .

In 1995, Major Gaponenko’s Guard, as part of a separate tank battalion of the combined regiment of the Pacific Fleet’s Marine Corps, took part in establishing the constitutional order in the Chechen Republic. During a special business trip, he served as intelligence chief of the 106th Marine Regiment. The regiment was formed in Chechnya at the end of April 1995 on the basis of units already there or going to replace them. After a 1.5-month preparation, the regiment’s administration and one combined battalion arrived from the Pacific Fleet on April 27 by military transport aircraft. One combined battalion came from the Northern and Baltic Fleets, as well as an engineering support group from a separate marine engineering battalion of the Baltic Fleet ^[1] .

In May 1995, Major Gaponenko participated in battles in the highlands of the Chechen Republic. On May 26, the Marine Corps launched an offensive in the direction of Shali , Agishty . As a result of stubborn battles, in the evening the regiment took possession of the border at a depth of 2-2.5 kilometers, meeting on its way well-prepared minefields, technically equipped strong points, sheltered armored vehicles and fanatical enemy resistance. The personnel of the regiment showed courage and courage. During the battle, the regiment destroyed: about 70 militants, two Dudaev camps, one unit of ZSU-23-4, five units of other equipment ^[1] .

On the same day - May 26, 1995, during the reconnaissance operation of the guard, Major Pavel Gaponenko closed his body from the BTR-80 anti-tank grenade and at the cost of his life saved the reconnaissance detachment of ten people and a combat vehicle with crew ^[1] ...

He was buried in the city cemetery of the city of Lokhvitsy, Poltava region of Ukraine ^[1] .

By decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 200 dated February 14, 1996, the Guard, Major Gaponenko, Pavel Nikolayevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously) ^[1] .