The complex events surrounding the Donetsk airport began unfolding in April 2014, after the proclamation by members of illegal armed formations (IAF) of the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR") and "Luhansk People's Republic" ("LPR"), and their capture of a number of settlements in the mentioned regions.

In April 2014, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine announced the beginning of the anti-terrorist operation in the east of Ukraine (ATO). Significant efforts were directed at preventing attempts by the Russian authorities to establish comprehensive control over the territory of Ukraine as a whole or over a specific part of it.

To conduct such an operation, the ATO Headquarters was created. From May 25, 2014, it was headed by the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Viktor Muzhenko. The 5 sectors of the ATO received their respective boundaries of responsibility and groups of troops (sectors A, B, C, D, M). The process of managing the troops of the ATO forces was clearly regulated by the combat statute and instructions on operational work. Ruslan Khomchak was the head of Sector "B" (under which the Donetsk airport was subordinated) until December 2014.

On the night of May 25-26, 2014, the new terminal and approaches to the Donetsk airport were captured without a fight by armed formations of Russian special services. They expected that the Ukrainian leadership would not dare to fight in the newly built airport terminal. However, as a result of the battle on May 26, 2014, the Ukrainian Armed Forces units defeated the enemy. These events are considered the beginning of the ATO forces' operation to defend the Donetsk airport.

By August 23, 2014, the airport's territory was under the full control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The airport's perimeter formed a front line with the city of Donetsk, which was controlled by the illegal armed formations.

On September 5, 2014, following negotiations of the Trilateral Contact Group on the situation in Donbas (Minsk negotiations), a ceasefire was announced. At the same time, immediately after this announcement, the illegal armed formations, supported by Russia, began shelling the positions of the ATO forces in Donetsk airport and the village of Pisky. From September 2014 to January 21, 2015, the main losses of Ukrainian forces were caused by these artillery shelling attacks.

In October 2014, a rotation of the ATO forces took place at the Donetsk airport. Since then, soldiers participating in the defense began to be called "cyborgs."

In November and December 2014, as well as in January 2015, there were 3 rotation stages of ATO units in the airport. During this period, the tactics of the separatist forces changed: the enemy occupied separate buildings on the territory of the Donetsk airport (a hotel, the old terminal); instead of launching attacks, the adversary tried to infiltrate the buildings around the new terminal and then into the new terminal itself. The new airport terminal became the front line for the ATO forces.

On January 16 and 17, 2015, the militants of the illegal armed formations continued their assault on the new terminal. They fired from the upper floors and used gas of unknown origin. The ATO forces repelled all attempts of a full capture.

From January 15 to 17, 2015, the ATO forces tried to bring in reinforcements and evacuate the wounded and deceased from Donetsk Airport.

On January 18, 2015, there is some calm. The ATO forces manage to partially rotate and evacuate the wounded from the new terminal. This is the last day when the defenders' vehicles enter the territory of the new terminal. The militants of the illegal armed formations also call for a ceasefire, removing their dead. However, under the pretext of evacuating the bodies of the deceased, they plant explosives under the supports of the new terminal.

Throughout the operation to defend Donetsk airport, a large number of servicemen from the Ukrainian forces were killed, captured, or went missing. According to official data from the Strategic Communications Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from September 2014 to January 2015, the number of killed servicemen is 109, wounded - 446, and missing in action - 6. Society has raised the issue of conducting an official investigation into the actions and inactions of the higher political and military leadership of the Ukrainian forces in relation to these events. So far, only Russian-backed militants have been held criminally responsible within the framework of national proceedings.

"They stood their ground! The concrete couldn't take it!" - this is how Ukrainians will write about the heroic deeds of the military defenders of Donetsk airport.

This story will be immortalized in the feature-length documentary film by Leonid Kanter and Ivan Yasniy, "Volunteers of God's Squad," the poem by Volodymyr Tymchuk, "Donetsk Airport," the novel by Sergey Loiko, "Airport," the feature film by Akhtem Seitablaiev, "Cyborgs," and the song "Airport" by the Ternopil band "Dolg."

Starting in 2018, at the initiative of the defenders of the airport, the memory of the participants of those events will be honored in January in various cities of Ukraine. And from January 20, 2022, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine officially established this day as the Day of Remembrance of the Donetsk Airport Defenders - a tribute to the servicemen, volunteers, and volunteers who defended the airfield from the Russian aggressor.