Knife fight between a Ukrainian paratrooper and a Yakut: why the Ukrainian soldier was alone and who he called for help (video).

A knife fight between a Ukrainian paratrooper and a Yakut: why the soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was alone and whom he called for help (video)

Soldiers from the 71st Separate Jaeger Brigade shared how Dmitry Maslovsky, with the call sign Cobra, charged into hand-to-hand combat with an occupier armed with a knife to cover his comrades during the clearing of the village of Trudove in the Donetsk region, and why he was alone.

This is discussed in a story by TSN.

It is noted that in the video of the fight, recorded by the body camera of the fallen soldier, he can be heard calling for help from his comrade with the call sign Khaza.

Journalists report that Maslovsky had been a fighter in the 71st Separate Jaeger Assault Brigade almost since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and he died in the village of Trudove near Kurakhovo during a fight with a Yakut from the 39th Guards Brigade of the Russian Federation.

Cobra's body camera also captured him exiting cover and firing twice from a handheld anti-tank grenade launcher at an enemy armored vehicle approaching Ukrainian positions.

TSN notes that the footage of the fight only appeared on social media recently, while the actual recordings were made in November 2024, during which the battles in Trudove were crucial for the defense of Kurakhovo. Ukrainian fighters were sent to storm the outskirts of Trudove to strengthen the positions of the Defense Forces, but, according to comrades, Maslovsky was not among those sent to storm.

“Cobra and Khaza's task was to monitor a checkpoint, where they provided cover for our rear and controlled the movement of vehicles, signaling us. Our task was to drive in, clear the landing area, and enter the village,” one of the fighters from the 71st Brigade told journalists.

TSN highlights that the assault group managed to eliminate six occupiers in this battle, but while the assault team was clearing the landing area, enemy infantry was approaching—two occupiers were riding motorcycles past the checkpoint where Cobra and Khaza were stationed. After they succeeded in eliminating one enemy, Cobra went to search for the second, as reported in the story.

“Cobra ordered Khaza, with specific weaponry, to stay and monitor the roadway because during the time we were clearing the village, a couple of motorcycles wanted to slip through. … This was a command decision that must be respected,” said a fighter from the 71st Brigade.

The story mentions that Cobra was from the Lyubashevka community in the Odesa region, where he was buried; he was 30 years old. Even before the full-scale war, Dmitry Maslovsky served in the Joint Forces Operation. TSN reports that, according to his comrades, Cobra always tried to protect his brothers-in-arms, and the 71st Brigade submitted his name for the Hero of Ukraine award last year.

“He was hot-tempered, always bold, sometimes a little too much; we had to hold him back, he never feared anything,” described Maslovsky by one of his comrades to journalists.

The story also states that, according to the fighters of the 71st Brigade, Khaza could not hear when Cobra called for help.

“Khaza couldn't hear. He had his own controlled sector, and the distance from where Cobra was during the video, which is now online, was about 600 meters. And also, keep in mind that simultaneously two other groups were conducting a clearance operation—meaning there was serious gunfire and cannon fire there,” explained one of the comrades of Khaza and Cobra.

TSN reporters also learned that the position where Khaza was last seen turned out to be empty, and he did not make contact, so he was to be reported as missing in action. However, during another assault, comrades found him in the basements of the village with serious injuries. Khaza is still in the hospital in critical condition.