Givi's funeral on February 10, 2017
On February 10, residents of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) came to bid farewell to the legendary commander of the Somali unit. Mikhail Tolstykh became a true symbol of the war for freedom in Donbas.
Mikhail Tolstykh died on the morning of February 8 in his office. The explosion was so powerful that windows on several floors were blown out. The office burned to the ground.
Mikhail Tolstykh (call sign "Givi") was born in Ilovaisk in 1980. He served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. His military specialty was tank commander. It was during his service in the Ukrainian army that the "Somali" battalion commander adopted the nickname "Givi" in honor of his grandfather, who fought in the Great Patriotic War.
Mikhail Tolstykh served in the DPR militia from the very beginning of the conflict. From May 2014, he took part in the battle for Sloviansk. He became known after the battles for Ilovaisk and at the Donetsk airport.
He is a Hero of the DPR, recipient of two St. George's Crosses, awarded the Medal "For the Defense of Slavyansk," and a colonel in the Republic's Armed Forces. Tolstykh was the target of numerous assassination attempts, and he was wounded several times in battle.
Novorossiya TV expresses its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mikhail Tolstykh.