Chief Petty Officer Mykhailo Antonov, known by the call sign Michael, was killed on March 31, 2022, near Mariupol. He was aboard an Mi-8 helicopter evacuating wounded defenders from Azovstal. He was 26 years old.
Mykhailo was born in Donetsk and later moved to Mariupol. From childhood, he dreamed of the sea, studied to become a motorman, and worked in the civilian fleet. In 2016, he signed a contract with the Maritime Guard, serving as a motorman before becoming the commander of a small boat.
His brothers-in-arms remember him as responsible, open-hearted, and sincere. For him, service and the sea were his life’s calling.
After being seriously wounded, he was evacuated to Azovstal. On March 31, he was supposed to fly to Dnipro by helicopter, but that flight became his last.
Mykhailo is survived by his wife, father, and sister.
At 9:00 a.m. — the nationwide minute of silence. The Donetsk Regional Military Administration and the Memorial Heroes platform honor the fallen defenders of Donetsk region killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine.