Police Colonel Mikhail Kuratchenko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Order “Golden Star” posthumously
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky presented the award to the wife and daughters of the deceased policeman.
Mykhailo Kuratchenko headed the Main Department of the National Police of Ukraine in Cherkasy Oblast, and died on December 7, 2022 while performing official duties in the territory of the de-occupied Kherson region.
Police officers of the Cherkasy region served as part of a consolidated detachment, which was headed by Mikhail Kuratchenko. In the Kherson region, they carried out stabilization measures: documented crimes of Russian servicemen, identified places of burial, detention and torture of people, exposed collaborators, seized weapons and ammunition, depopulated settlements and enemy positions.
That day, law enforcement officers went on another mission to check the information of local people about the garrison left by the occupiers. A specialized task force, a cynologist and an explosives technician led by Mikhail Kuratchenko arrived at the place where the enemy positions used to be, near the village of Fedorivka.
They seized ammunition, explosives and weapons of destruction. And already returning, the policemen fell into a mine trap of the occupiers, which set in motion a buried fugas made of ammunition for large-caliber artillery. The guys blew themselves up on a cascade of enemy mines and ammunition.
Seven police officers have died and another is in hospital.
Department of Communications of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
