Denis Berezovsky
| Denis Berezovsky | |
|---|---|
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Denis Berezovsky aboard USS Jason Dunham during Sea Breeze 2012
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| Native name | Денис Валентинович Березовський |
| Born |
15 July 1974 Kharkiv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Allegiance |
 Ukraine (until March 2, 2014) Crimea (March 2–24, 2014) Russia (since March 24, 2014) |
| Service/branch |
 Ukrainian Navy Russian Navy
|
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet |
| Battles/wars | Crimean crisis |
| Awards |  |
Denis Valentinovych Berezovsky (born Kharkiv, July 15, 1974) is a Rear Admiral and the Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander. He is also a former commander of the Ukrainian Navy. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Navy by Interim President Oleksandr Turchynov on March 1, 2014, serving for just one day before defecting to the self-declared pro-Russian separatist Crimean government during the 2014 Crimean crisis. On March 24, 2014, the Defense Minister of Russia Sergei Shoigu appointed Berezovsky as the Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander. On March 5, 2014, the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine issued an order to detain Berezovsky on suspicion of treason.
A graduate of the Nakhimov Higher Naval Institute (Sevastopol) in 1996, Berezovsky was the commander of the frigate Hetman Sahaydachniy from 2002-2005. On December 6, 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, Sea Breeze 2012 and Sea Breeze 2013. Prior to March 1, 2014, he served as deputy commander for combat training - Head of the Ukrainian Navy combat training. On March 1, 2014, President Turchynov appointed Berezovsky as Commander of the Naval Forces of Ukraine. In the morning of March 2, 2014, Berezovsky was dismissed from the post of commander of the Ukrainian Navy after he issued 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".
On March 24, 2014, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu along with a group from the Defence Ministry visited Crimea where he appointed Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky, as the new Russian Black Sea Fleet deputy commander.
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