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Igor BranovitskyUkrainian serviceman, private
Date of Birth: 25.04.1976
Country:  Operator |
Content:
- Early Life
- Military Service
- Death and Captivity
- Investigation
- Identification and Burial
- Honors and Recognition
- Public Recognition:
Early Life
Igor Branovytsky was born on April 25, 1976, in Pushcha-Vodytsia, Kyiv, Ukraine. He grew up in a military town in Kryvyi Rih alongside his brother, Yuriy. His father, Eugene Branovytsky, served as an officer in the Soviet Army during the Afghan War and passed away due to war injuries in 1990. His mother, Nina Konstantinovna, raised her sons alone on a war orphan's pension while working as a pharmacist. Igor graduated from the Kyiv Technical College of Electronic Devices and subsequently established a business venture in the same field with his brother.
Military Service
After fulfilling his military obligation in the Ukrainian Army, Branovytsky served in the United Nations peacekeeping contingent in Angola. In late 2013 and early 2014, he participated in the "Euromaidan" protests in Kyiv.
In July 2014, during the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, Branovytsky voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. From August onwards, he underwent military training near Zhytomyr with the 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade. From November 2014 to January 2015, he served as a spotter in an airborne assault platoon of the 90th Separate Airborne Battalion, 81st Separate Airborne Brigade. He took part in battles in Pesky, Vodyane, and Opytne.
Death and Captivity
In the night of January 16-17, 2015, Branovytsky was part of a small detachment sent to the new terminal of Donetsk Airport. On January 20, while attempting to leave the besieged airport, he rescued two wounded comrades. On the night of January 21, he returned to the terminal with other soldiers to retrieve any remaining wounded and cover the retreat of his fellow soldiers. In the process, he sustained a concussion and was subsequently captured by members of the "Sparta" and "Somalia" battalions, armed formations of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).
During interrogation, to protect his comrades from torture and abuse, Branovytsky voluntarily identified himself as the machine gunner that the separatists were searching for, fully aware of the potential consequences. According to eyewitnesses, he was shot and killed on January 21 by Arseniy Pavlov ("Motorola"), the commander of the "Sparta" battalion.
Investigation
On February 21, 2015, Vasily Vovk, the head of the Main Investigation Department of the Security Service of Ukraine, announced charges against Pavlov under Article 438 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code for "violating the laws and customs of war." On April 6, Pavlov admitted to killing 15 prisoners in a phone interview with the "Kyiv Post" but later denied his confession.
A report by Amnesty International on April 9, based on new evidence including Pavlov's confession, condemned the atrocities committed and demanded a full investigation and prosecution of those responsible. The organization's monitoring group presented testimonies from five witnesses confirming the killings by Pavlov.
Eyewitnesses stated that Pavlov ordered Branovytsky to stand up, but he was unable to due to injuries sustained during the beatings. When guards suggested seeking medical attention, Pavlov shot Branovytsky, claiming, "I've already cured him... He doesn't need an ambulance."
According to Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war must be protected from "outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment, torture or any other form of ill-treatment."
On June 13, 2016, Vitaliy Mayakov, the deputy head of the Main Investigation Department of the SBU, announced that Interpol had refused to issue an international arrest warrant for Pavlov due to the political nature of the accusations, considering that "the crime was committed in the context of an armed conflict." Pavlov was assassinated in his apartment building in Donetsk on October 16, 2016.
Identification and Burial
Branovytsky was initially reported as missing in action. The DPR denied any knowledge of his whereabouts when inquiries were made by the Red Cross. On March 6, 2015, his body was among 22 deceased individuals transferred to Ukraine through the mediation of the OSCE, the Red Cross, and the DPR organization "Black Tulip." It was identified by his mother on April 1, and a subsequent genetic examination confirmed his identity. Branovytsky was laid to rest in the Berkovetskyi Cemetery in Kyiv.
Honors and Recognition
Military Honors:- Title of Hero of Ukraine and Order of the Golden Star (posthumously awarded on August 23, 2016) for exceptional personal courage and heroism during the defense of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.
- Order for Courage, III degree (posthumously awarded on May 23, 2015) for personal bravery and professionalism in protecting Ukraine.
- Badge for the Defense of Donetsk Airport (posthumously awarded by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine).
Public Recognition:
- People's Hero of Ukraine (posthumously awarded on June 4, 2015), the first recipient of the honor bestowed upon his mother by Patriarch Filaret at the Cathedral of Saint Sophia in Kyiv.
- The Igor Branovytsky Battalion of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade, 81st Separate Airborne Brigade is named in his honor.
