The incumbent President of South Ossetia, Anatoly Bibilov, awarded the medals "Defender of the Fatherland" (posthumously) to the Honored Artist of South Ossetia Robert Kulumbegov and Sergeant Radislav Khugaev for courage and heroism shown in the performance of military duty in the Donbass.
On Saturday, in Vladikavkaz., Anatoly Bibilov handed over the high awards to the son of Robert Kulumbegov and the father of Radislav Khugaev in the presence of the Defense Minister of the Republic, Vladimir Pukhaev,
“It is very painful to lose our guys, but we are proud that, protecting us, they are fighting against the black evil of Nazism, which has raised its head again bringing destruction and death to the peoples. Fascism and neo-Nazism cannot be international,” Anatoly Bibilov said.
Major of the Ossetian OMON reserve, Honored Artist of South Ossetia and Abkhazia Robert Kulumbegov left for Donbass, collecting a humanitarian aid car for the militias. He was supposed to return from the territory of the DPR back to Russia shortly after his arrival and transfer of the cargo, but did not cross the border at the appointed time. When asked about the reason for the delay, he replied that he was staying with his comrades and would be fighting shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers of the 58th Army, including the 4th military base. He was fighting in the ranks of the international brigade "Pyatnashka" under the command of Akhra. Robert's call sign was "Gray Bars". The Ossetian militiaman Robert Kulumbegov perished heroically on March 31, he died a heroic death in fierce battles for the regional center of Yasinovataya - the Donbass Hero City. The death of Robert Kulumbegov, a fearless warrior, a native of South Ossetia, acquired tragic symbolism: in the same battle with him, perished an Ossetian, an Abkhazian and a Russian warrior. He was 48 years old.
A serviceman from Ossetia, Radislav Khugaev, died a heroic death during a special operation in Ukraine. From the first hours of the special military operation, he was participating in fierce battles in the Donbas direction in the ranks of the legendary 150th motorized rifle division of the Idritsko-Berlin Order of Kutuzov, the same division that stormed the Reichstag in May 1945, the assault red flag of which is the Banner of Victory. Waging heavy battles, overcoming the enemy's deep-echeloned defense, the division stormed Mariupol. In this half-million-strong city, the second most populous after Donetsk, a multi-thousandth enemy group had been preparing for defense for years and was now desperately resisting. In one of the bloody urban battles, the unit of Sergeant Radislav Khugaev, having pulled ahead, was squeezed from the flanks by superior enemy forces, and there was a threat of encirclement. The enemy pulled up reserves, trying to break out the resistance of our troops. Assessing the situation, Radik decided to carry out a diversionary maneuver: he pulled out the flag, which he kept in a bulletproof vest next to the armor plate, and rushed towards the enemy, causing fire on himself ... He died a heroic death, saving the lives of his comrades. Thanks to his decisive and heroic actions, the unit was able to regroup, hold out until reinforcements arrived and defeated the enemy. Radislav Khugaev was 33 years old. He was presented to the Order of Courage (posthumously).
