Sviatoslav Yaroslavovych Palamar ('Kalyna') is a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

and the current deputy commander of the Azov regiment within the National Guard of Ukraine. During the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

, Palamar was involved in fighting Russian forces during the siege of Mariupol, within the Azovstal steelworks.

Early life

Sviatoslav Palamar was born on October 10, 1982, in Mykolaiv, a town near Lviv, where he lived until he was a student. He studied at the

Lviv University of Trade and Economics The Lviv University of Trade and Economics is a university in Lviv, Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the e ...

. He describes himself as Galician. Prior to the war he worked as a commercial director in a company. In 2000, Palamar joined the Patriot of Ukraine nationalist group. At the time, the organisation was known for far-right views. One of the group's leaders,

Andriy Biletsky Andriy Yevheniyovych Biletsky ( uk, Андрі́й Євге́нійович Біле́цький, Andríj Jevhénijovyč Biléćký, ; born 5 August 1979) is a Ukrainian far-right politician. He is the leader of political party National Corps. ...

, would later be involved in founding the Azov Battalion (as it was then known). However, in a later interview in 2022, Palamar would deny that members of the regiment wore swastikas or other Nazi insignia, and emphasised the status of Azov as a military unit. Prior to the onset of war in eastern Ukraine, Palamar participated in the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity. He has a wife and a child.

Military service

Palamar previously served in the

Donbas war The Donbas or Donbass (, ; uk, Донба́с ; russian: Донба́сс ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. Parts of the Donbas are controlled by Russian separatist groups as a result of the Russo-Ukrai ...

which began in 2014. In an interview with pro-Azov military journalist

Oleksiy Suvorov Oleksii, Oleksiy or OleksiĭALA-LC romanization of Ukrainian. ( uk, Олексі́й, Oleksij ) is a Ukrainian male name of Ancient Greek origin. Some people with the given name Oleksiy * Oleksiy Antonov (born 1986), Ukrainian football forward ...

, he stated that he had adopted his call sign because the guelder rose or 'Kalyna' in Ukrainian is a traditional symbol associated with Ukraine. Following the

, he was involved in fighting in Mariupol and was one of the commanders of a group of soldiers which retreated to the Azovstal steelworks. These soldiers included the Azov regiment and Ukrainian marines. During the siege of Mariupol, Captain Palamar took part in several press conferences and interviews with the media on behalf of the Azov Battalion and the soldiers trapped in the steelworks, which included Marines and National Guardsmen, alongside

Denys Prokopenko Denys Hennadiyovych Prokopenko ( uk, Дени́с Генна́дійович Прокопе́нко, Denýs Hennádiyovyč Prokopénko, ; born 27 June 1991) is a Ukrainian military officer, a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard of Ukrai ...

and other fighters. On 12 May 2022, he gave an interview to ''

Haaretz ''Haaretz'' ( , originally ''Ḥadshot Haaretz'' – , ) is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel, and is now published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner f ...

'', an Israeli newspaper. In this interview he likened the military history of and attacks on Ukraine to that in Israel. He claimed that he had received no order to leave and that he was unwilling to leave dead and injured fellow soldiers behind, explaining the decision to remain in the steelworks. After the Ukrainian surrender in Azovstal, Russian forces said they captured Palamar among other Commanders. On 21 September 2022, as part of a prisoner-of-war exchange, Palamar was released from Russian captivity. Under the terms of the deal, it was agreed that he, along with four other officers released in the exchange, would remain in Turkey until the end of the war. On 8 July 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Azov commanders had been brought back to Ukraine from Turkey, posting a video of five Azov commanders boarding his plane, including Palamar.

Awards

As a result of his military service during this war, he was awarded a number of medals including the

Order of Danylo Halytsky The Order of Danylo Halytsky ( uk, Орден Данила Галицького) is an award of Ukraine. The Order was instituted on February 20, 2003, by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to honour the military men of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ...

, the Medal For Military Service to Ukraine, the

Breastplate for Valiant Service A breastplate or chestplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. A breastplate is sometimes worn by mythological beings as a distinctive item of clothing. It is ...

and the

Breastplate for the Defence of Mariupol A breastplate or chestplate is a device worn over the torso to protect it from injury, as an item of religious significance, or as an item of status. A breastplate is sometimes worn by mythological beings as a distinctive item of clothing. It is ...

. On 1 October 2022 he was awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine by President of Ukraine.Decree of the President of Ukraine from 1 жовтня 2022 year № 684/202
«Про присвоєння С.Паламарю звання Герой України»

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palamar, Sviatoslav Ukrainian military personnel of the Russian invasion of Ukraine People from Mykolaiv, Lviv Oblast Prisoners of war held by Russia Ukrainian military leaders People of the National Guard of Ukraine Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas Siege of Mariupol 1982 births Living people Recipients of the title of Hero of Ukraine