Serhiy Anatoliyovych Hayduk (Ukrainian: Сергій Анатолійович Гайдук; born 25 July 1963) is a Ukrainian Vice Admiral and a former commander of the Ukrainian Navy.[1]
Career
Before becoming commander of the Ukrainian Navy, Hayduk held the staff position in charge of anti-submarine warfare,[2] the position of chief of search and rescue operations,[3] and was first deputy chief of staff of the navy.[4] In 2007, he prevented an environmental disaster from ensuing when the leaky Russian vessel Odisk arrived in Crimea from Sierra Leone carrying ferroalloys.[5] He was promoted to the rank of rear admiral in 2011.[6]
Hayduk was appointed acting commander on 2 March 2014, and commander on 7 March 2014 following the defection of Denis Berezovsky during the Crimean crisis.[7] Berezovsky had been dismissed for "high treason" after serving only a single day as commander.[7] On 3 March 2014, Berezovsky, together with several Russian cossacks, had visited high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Navy and asked them to change allegiance and side with the Russian armed forces in Crimea. After a speech by Hayduk, all the officers rejected the proposal and started to sing the Ukrainian national anthem.[8]
On 19 March 2014, pro-Russian forces took over the Ukrainian Navy's headquarters at Sevastopol and imprisoned its newly appointed commander-in-chief, Hayduk.[9] Hayduk, along with seven other hostages, was held by the pro-Russian so-called "Crimean Security Service" and most of these hostages were tortured while in captivity according to Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.[10] The hostages were released by order of the Russian Defense Minister on 20 March 2014.[11]
On 23 August 2014, Hayduk was promoted to vice admiral.[12]
Hayduk was dismissed as commander of the Ukrainian navy by President Poroshenko on 15 April 2016.[1] He was succeeded by Ihor Voronchenko.[13]
Ukraine
Ukrainian Navy
Medal For Military Service to Ukraine
Ministry of Defence Badge of Honour
