Serhiy Hayduk | |
---|---|
Native name | Сергій Анатолійович Гайдук |
Born | Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union | 25 July 1963
Allegiance | Ukraine |
Service/ | Ukrainian Navy |
Years of service | 1992–present |
Rank | Vice Admiral |
Commands held | Commander of the Ukrainian Navy |
Battles/wars | 2014 Crimean crisis |
Awards |
Medal For Military Service to Ukraine Ministry of Defence Badge of Honour |
Serhiy Anatoliyovych Hayduk ( Ukrainian: Сергій Анатолійович Гайдук; born 25 July 1963) is a Ukrainian Vice Admiral and a former commander of the Ukrainian Navy. [1]
Before becoming commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Hayduk held the staff position in charge of anti-submarine warfare, [2] the position of chief of search and rescue operations, [3] and was first deputy chief of staff of the navy. [4] In 2007, he prevented an environmental disaster from ensuing when the leaky Russian vessel Odisk arrived in Crimea from Sierra Leone carrying ferroalloys. [5] He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 2011. [6]
Hayduk was appointed acting commander on 2 March 2014, and commander on 7 March 2014 following the defection of Denis Berezovsky during the Crimean crisis. [7] Berezovsky had been dismissed for " high treason" after serving only a single day as commander. [7] On 3 March 2014, Berezovsky, together with several Russian cossacks, had visited high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Navy and asked them to change allegiance and side with the Russian armed forces in Crimea. After a speech by Hayduk, all the officers rejected the proposal and started to sing the Ukrainian national anthem. [8]
On 19 March 2014, pro-Russian forces took over the Ukrainian Navy's headquarters at Sevastopol and imprisoned its newly appointed commander-in-chief, Hayduk. [9] Hayduk, along with seven other hostages, was held by the pro-Russian so-called " Crimean Security Service" and most of these hostages were tortured while in captivity according to Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group. [10] The hostages were released by order of the Russian Defense Minister on 20 March 2014. [11]
On 23 August 2014, Hayduk was promoted to vice admiral. [12]
Hayduk was dismissed as commander of the Ukrainian navy by President Poroshenko on 15 April 2016. [1] He was succeeded by Ihor Voronchenko. [13]
Media related to Serhiy Hayduk at Wikimedia Commons