What we know about ‘Azov’ fighter Palamar - heroic defender of Mariupol from Lviv region

After Illya Samoilenko  we introduce the captain Svyatoslav Palamar, known as a ‘friend Kalyna’. This officer also became known for video recording of Azovstal dungeons. Recently the deputy commander of Azov Regiment Svyatoslav Palamar, along with Ilya Samoilenko gave a historic press conference for foreign journalists.

 Life before war

Kalyna was born and raised in the Lviv region. His mom recalls her son’s favorite toys were soldiers. He built up the army and simulated fighting.

"At school his favorite subject was history. Svyatoslav studied very well. He has a very good memory. He read a lot and knew all the military events,” says Lidia.

In an interview in 2020 Palamar recalled that was raised as a patriot even in Soviet times.

"I lived with my grandparents, they were teachers. When I was 6 or 7 years old, I already knew that our flag is blue and yellow, not red. My grandmother told me about the Austro-Hungarian Empire, WWI, the Poles and how ‘tolerant’ they acted with Ukrainians, the first and second invasions of Muscovites. Compared with those who are Poles, Austrians and Russians, I could only identify myself as Ukrainian, I couldn’t do it the other way,” told ‘Kalyna.’

After graduating school, he entered the Lviv Trade and Economic Institute. He took academic vacation because he served in the army. After conscripts, he trained in an international peacekeeping troops training center, where he contracted the 80th airborne brigade. But by 2014 he was engaged in commercial activities.

Friend Kalyna

Svyatoslav participated in the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity. At the last one he realized that war is inevitable.

"I picked up things, went into the military. They told me that they don’t need a boy. I understood that they will call me when everything is over, and I was afraid to sit at home," said Palamar.

So the man decided to join the volunteer units. There he also got a call sign ‘Kalyna’.

"In the mobilization center they told me: 'Guy, choose your call sign.’ I thought about what I associated with Ukraine the most? Maple - Canada, Birch - Russia, a real symbol of Ukraine is viburnum (kalyna in Ukrainian - Ed.) The songs and annals, fables and legends during the Cossacks and Ukrainian Insurgent Army periods told about it.”

In the Azov Regiment, Kalyna was in charge of personnel, recruiting. Palamar saw the strong character and indomitable spirit of almost every Azov fighter.

"Every soldier we have is first of all a person, he must think, analyze, and act autonomously in certain circumstances. And we need their hearts so thanks to patriotism they could overcome their fear that occurs when their life is under risk. When you put these three puzzles, you get a great Ukrainian soldier,” explained Palamar.

All years Svyatoslav fought in Mariupol direction, was awarded the insignia of National Guard Commander ‘For Heroic Service’ and ‘For Defense of Mariupol’ and state award, the medal ‘For Military Service to Ukraine’. 2 years ago he called his most significant award the firearms.

He was given a Galician Daniel Order when Azov already has been in the Azovstal catacombs on April 17, 2022.

Strong from Azovstal

Exactly a week before receiving the Order Svyatoslav Palamar made a sensational statement:

"Politicians say that they are constantly tuned in, but more than two weeks they go off-hook."

In the same address ‘Kalyna’ called Mariupol the ‘city of martyrs’, emphasizing the heroism of Azov defense.

"It’s when yesterday's fighter, who was 22 years old and who commanded a battalion better than a commander who all his life received a salary from the state…”

It’s when the Azov Regiment storms Russian elite special forces...

It’s when a comrade, with severe injuries, runs away from the hospital because he promised his friends to help fight at the forefront...

It’s when a wounded officer shouts ‘Glory to Ukraine!’ and blows himself on a grenade not to surrender... "

At Easter, he wrote an appeal requesting to provide humanitarian corridor for civilians, because Christian holidays don’t prevent Russians from throwing bombs on children. On May 5, Palamar called on the international community and the Supreme Commander to ensure the evacuation of civilians and to take care of wounded soldiers who died at Azovstal.

Kalyna, along with Ilya Samoilenko, held a press conference on March 8 in the Azovstal dungeons.

"I want to say that these aren’t just words for us, but people of Ukraine. We fulfill our military obligations, we don’t need praise, but we want justice," he said.

 After war

This autumn Svyatoslav Palamar turns 40. The best way to celebrate the anniversary for him is with his family. He married his wife Tonya in January 2016, she left with him for Azov working as a secretary. His son Lukyan is 5 years old. Victory Dinner he may prepare himself, cooking is one of his hobbies.

"Svyatoslav always helped me in the kitchen. Cooking is a pleasure for him. Even when he served in Azov and came home duties, he always made dinner,” says Svyatoslav’s mother.

Palamar also likes to read.

"Now I have such a huge library of the latest and greatest books so I probably read 3-4 books at once. They are in different places, and I read every time I have an opportunity. I love to read Ernest Hemingway together with Erich Maria Remarque. Two writers who talk about WWII and the postwar period have quite different perspectives. As for modern literature these are Oksana Moroz Mary Matios. Now I’m reading Ataturk, he’s a great historic leader, a man of his age. I like to read Churchill, I understand that he’s not a person we know about, he’s definitely a man of the century,” told Kalina 2 years ago.

In the same interview the fighter shared his other dream: to travel to the jungle. Go to Cambodia, India, Central Africa, Latin America, and only after that in Japan.

But all this after leaving Azovstal. After winning.

"My dream is to go on vacation, to take the bait at five in the morning and go fishing till eight in silence as the sun and smoke rise over the lake and smoke," said Kalyna.