Denis Berezovsky
Berezovsky in 2019
Native name
Дени́с Валенти́нович Березо́вский
Born (1974-07-15) 15 July 1974[1]
Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance Ukraine (until 2 March 2014)
 Crimea (2–24 March 2014)
 Russia (since 24 March 2014)
Service/branch Ukrainian Navy (1996–2014)
 Russian Navy (2014–present)
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldCommander of the Ukrainian Navy
Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet
Battles/warsCrimean crisis

Denis Valentinovich Berezovsky (Russian: Дени́с Валенти́нович Березо́вский, Ukrainian: Денис Валентинович Березовський, romanized: Denys Valentynovych Berezovskyi; born 15 July 1974)[1] is a rear admiral and the Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander. He is also a former commander of the Ukrainian Navy. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Navy by Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov on 1 March 2014, after the acting commander of the Ukrainian Navy Sergei Yeliseyev defected to Russia the same day. After serving for just one day, on 2 March, he defected to the self-declared pro-Russian separatist Crimean government during the 2014 Crimean crisis.[2][3] On 24 March 2014, the Defense Minister of Russia Sergei Shoigu appointed Berezovsky as the Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander.[4] On 5 March 2014, the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine issued an order to detain Berezovsky on suspicion of treason.[5]

Early life

Denis Berezovsky was born on 15 July 1974, in Kharkiv, USSR.[6]

Military service

A graduate of the Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute (Sevastopol) in 1996, Berezovsky was the commander of the frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy from 2002 to 2005.[7] On 6 December 2012, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral.[8] In 2012 and 2013, he led the joint exercises with Ukraine and the United States, Sea Breeze 2012[9] and SeaBreeze 2013.[10] Prior to 1 March 2014, he served as deputy commander for combat training - Head of the Ukrainian Navy combat training. On 1 March 2014, President Turchynov appointed Berezovsky as Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine.[11][12] In the morning of 2 March 2014, Berezovsky was dismissed from the post of commander of the Ukrainian Navy after he issued orders to lay down arms.[13] After being dismissed, he appeared in media to announce he was defecting to the Russian-supported new Crimean authorities as "pledging allegiance to the Crimean people".[2]

On 24 March 2014, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu along with a group from the Defence Ministry visited Crimea where he appointed Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky, as the new Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander. He served this post until 15 October 2015, before being posted again to the Russian Pacific Fleet as the deputy commander in November 2018. On 20 February 2020, he was awarded the rank of Vice Admiral.

Defection

On 2 March 2014, Berezovsky defected to the new Russian-supported Crimean authorities and took an "oath of allegiance to the people of Crimea".[2][14][15] "Earlier in the morning of the same day" (as was announced later), he was removed from his position in the Ukrainian Navy "for failing to manage the Navy in extreme conditions" at the decision of the Defense Minister, Ihor Tenyukh.[16][17][18][19] Dmitry Tymchuk, the head of the Center of Military and Political Research, suggested at his Facebook page that Berezovsky pledged his allegiance when his family was kidnapped and held hostage.[20][21] His defection immediately resulted in Ukraine launching a treason case against him,[22] and the appointment of Serhiy Hayduk as his successor.[23]

On 3 March 2014, both Berezovsky and Hayduk addressed Ukrainian Navy officers.[2] The officers broke into applause when Hayduk read them the order that removed Berezovsky from his position and that Berezovsky was facing treason charges; this was followed by spontaneous singing of the Ukrainian national anthem.[2] Berezovsky then unsuccessfully tried to entice the officers over to the newly proclaimed Crimean fleet which he had been appointed head of — assuring them that they would retain their ranks and there would be no interruption of salary payments.[2] He (then) claimed that "Viktor Yanukovych is the legitimately elected president of Ukraine," and that thus it would be no breach of oath if they served Crimea since "the seizure of power in Kyiv was orchestrated from abroad" (referring to the 2014 Ukrainian revolution).[2]

Sanctions

Sanctioned by the UK government in 2014 in relation to Russo-Ukrainian War.[24]

Honours

  • Medal "For Irreproachable Service", 3rd Class (27 June 2007, revoked in March 2014) - for personal contribution to strengthening the defense of Ukraine, the exemplary performance of military duty, and on the Day of the Naval Forces of Ukraine.[25]
  • The memorial "230 years of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation" (the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy, 2013) - for active participation in the preparation and conduct of the joint Ukrainian-Russian exercises "Fairway of Peace 2013" shown a high level of theoretical training, sea, field and flight proficiency.[26]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 kraina.name (3 March 2014). "Country dolzhna nobility svoyh "heroes." Berezovsky Denis V. - traitor oath and homeland own way". Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Ukraine navy officers reject plea to defect to Russian-backed Crimea". The Guardian. 3 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Denis Berezovsky appointed commander-in-chief of Ukrainian Navy". Kyiv Post. 1 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "Shoigu appoints ex-Ukrainian Navy commander as Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander - Mar. 24, 2014". Kyiv Post. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "The Office of the General Prosecutor instructed to detain former commander of Naval Forces of Ukraine". The Ukrainian Week. 5 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "Страна должна знать своих "героев". Березовский Денис Валентинович – предатель присяги и своей Родины. — Политика — Ваши статьи — Элита Страны – Блог, коррупция, рейдерство, взятки, аферы, криминал, национализм, мажоры, государственные закупки". kraina.name. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Black Sea News (18 May 2012). "Exclusive BSNews: Press center of the Ukrainian Navy exercises gives details of the frigate "Hetman Sahaidachny" squadron and heterogeneous forces". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Mil.gov.ua (6 December 2012). "Defence Minister congratulated by assigning military ranks next group of officers commanding the Armed Forces of Ukraine". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  9. ↑ na.mil.gov.ua (20 July 2012). "Marines hit counter piracy/"Sea Breeze 2012"". Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  10. ↑ Flot.com (23 July 2013). "Ukrainian-American exercises "Sea Breeze 2013" ended in Odessa". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Pravda (1 March 2014). "Turchynov appointed commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine Berezovsky". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  12. ↑ President.gov.ua (1 March 2014). "DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE number 188/2014". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  13. ↑ Berezovsky was dismissed in the morning - for the order not to resist forces of Russia and to lay down arms. Ukrayinska Pravda. 2 March 2014
  14. ↑ ITAR-TASS (2 March 2013). "Kyiv authorities appointed commander of the Ukrainian Navy, took the oath of allegiance to the people of Crimea". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  15. ↑ "BBC News - New head of Ukraine's navy 'defects' in Crimea". BBC. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  16. ↑ kontrakty.ua (2 March 2014). "Berezovsky removed from command of the Ukrainian Navy, he was replaced by Acting Commander Haiduk". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  17. ↑ Unian.net (2 March 2014). "The former head of the Ukrainian Navy Berezovsky dismissed this morning - Syumar". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Order of the President of Ukraine No.227/2014. About dismissal of D.Berezovskiy from the post of commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine Archived 5 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. President of Ukraine. 2 March 2014
  19. ↑ Berezovsky was dismissed and against him are filed charges Archived 11 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Ukrinform. 2 March 2014
  20. ↑ "At gunpoint": They forced Berezovsky to betray Ukraine by taking his family hostage. Censor.net. 2 March 2014
  21. ↑ "At gunpoint": They forced Berezovsky to betray Ukraine by taking his family hostage Archived 6 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Crimea.in. 2 March 2014
  22. ↑ Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Ukraine launches treason case against Navy chief who surrendered". Trust.org. Archived from the original on 3 January 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2014. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  23. ↑ "BBC News - Ukraine army on alert after Russia approves troops". BBC News Online. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  24. ↑ "CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  25. ↑ "On rewarding with state awards of Ukraine military Naval Forces". Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  26. ↑ ForPost Sevastopol News (26 June 2013). "In Sevastopol, summed up the Russian-Ukrainian exercise "Fairway of Peace 2013"". Sevastopol.su. Retrieved 3 March 2014.

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