Patrolman Danylo Safonov, defender of Mariupol since the first day of the full-scale invasion, was killed at Azovstal

Patrol policeman Danylo Safonov, who had been defending the city since the first day of the full-scale Russian invasion, was killed on the territory of Azovstal in Mariupol, says the Deputy Commander of the Azov Regiment, Captain Sviatoslav Palamar (call sign Kalyna).

The head of the Mariupol Patrol Police, Mykhailo Vershynin, who is also currently at Azovstal, told us that Safonov died on May 2 at 11 p.m. local time. Two other service members were also killed along with him: they were performing a combat mission and came under mortar fire upon returning to the plant.

"A good bright guy, he did his job. He loved his child very much. This is a great tragedy for everyone. He truly believed that he would return to his home city of Donetsk," Vershynin said.

Palamar also noted that now the Russian occupation forces are assaulting Azovstal. The Head of the Patrol Police asks to take out the bodies of the dead, as well as the wounded and civilians from the territory.

More about Safonov

Danylo Safonov was an internally displaced person from Donetsk: in 2014, he left for Mariupol, then became a soldier of a separate artillery brigade, and had been working in the anti-terrorist operation for three years. Then, he returned to Mariupol as far as he had many relatives in the city. In 2019, Danylo Safonov joined the Patrol Police.