Denis Berezovsky

Denis Valentinovich Berezovsky (, ; born 15 July 1974)

Military service A graduate of the Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute (Sevastopol) in 1996, Berezovsky was the commander of the frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy from 2002 to 2005. On 6 December 2012, he was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. In 2012 and 2013, he led the joint exercises with Ukraine and the United States, Exercise Sea Breeze 2012 and Sea Breeze 2013. Prior to 1 March 2014, he served as deputy commander for combat training - Head of the Ukrainian Navy combat training. On 1 March 2014, President Turchynov appointed Berezovsky as Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine.

He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Navy by Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov on 1 March 2014, after the acting commander of the Ukrainian Navy Sergei Yeliseyev defected to Russia the same day. After serving for just one day, on 2 March, he defected to the self-declared pro-Russian separatist Crimean government during the 2014 Crimean crisis.

In the morning of 2 March 2014, Berezovsky was dismissed from his post as commander of the Ukrainian Navy after issuing orders to lay down arms. After being dismissed, he appeared in media to announce he was defecting to the Russian-supported new Crimean authorities as "pledging allegiance to the Crimean people". "Earlier in the morning of the same day" (as was announced later), he was removed from his position in the Ukrainian Navy "for failing to manage the Navy in extreme conditions" at the decision of the Defense Minister, Ihor Tenyukh. Dmitry Tymchuk, the head of the Center of Military and Political Research, suggested at his Facebook page that Berezovsky pledged his allegiance when his family was kidnapped and held hostage. His defection immediately resulted in Ukraine launching a treason case against him, and the appointment of Serhiy Hayduk as his successor.

On 3 March 2014, both Berezovsky and Hayduk addressed Ukrainian Navy officers.

Honours Medal "For Irreproachable Service", 3rd Class (27 June 2007, revoked in March 2014) - for personal contribution to strengthening the defense of Ukraine, the exemplary performance of military duty, and on the Day of the Naval Forces of Ukraine. The memorial "230 years of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation" (the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Navy, 2013) - for active participation in the preparation and conduct of the joint Ukrainian-Russian exercises "Fairway of Peace 2013" shown a high level of theoretical training, sea, field, and flight proficiency.