This man was destined to live only thirty-three years. He was known to the general public as the military commander of the Donetsk People's Republic of Motorola. Starting in May 2014, he shot video reports covering the fighting of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine against the units of the People’s Militia of Donetsk under the leadership of Igor Strelkov. He was the commander of the special anti-tank brigade "Sparta".
Loved and was loved …
Childhood
Not a lot is known about the reliable biography of this man, better known to the public in his combat call sign "Motorola".
Arsen (Arseny) Sergeyevich Pavlov was born on February 2, 1983 in the distant city of Ukhta, the Republic of Komi. Along the father’s side, in the veins of young Arsen, it was this name that was given to the boy at birth, the blood of the Komi and Circassians flowed, and his mother was Russian. His father, the indigenous Komi, like most representatives of this nationality, was a glorious and born hunter, not knowing fear and indifferent to death and any difficulties and hardships that stand in his way. It was from him that our hero adopted a hunting ingenuity, the ability to track down prey for hours and a unique flair that was repeatedly useful to him in his future path of a warrior.
From the mother, the boy inherited extraordinary natural charisma, enthusiasm and absolute self-confidence, which appealed to him almost all the people with whom he had to face in civilian life and in war.
Arseny Pavlov was not even fifteen years old when a tragic accident claimed the lives of his parents. Further education of the boy took on a grandmother. However, this did not last very long, since immediately after graduating from secondary school No. 13 of the city of Ukhta, her grandson went to serve in the ranks of the Russian army.
Military service
The upbringing and skills received from his father were not in vain; shortly after being drafted into the army, the young man was known as a skilled and fearless soldier. Further biography Arseny Pavlova somehow itself became the way of a warrior. The army became for him a home and a kind of continuation of the hunt, begun in childhood.
After some time, he became a signalman of the 77th guards separate Moscow-Chernigov brigade, where he received his famous nickname "Motorola". At the end of his military service, Arsen continued his military activities, taking part in two anti-terrorist operations in Chechnya for another year and rising to the rank of deputy platoon commander.
Civil professions
In peaceful life, an experienced soldier Arseny Pavlov was a jack of all trades. By his own admission, he had to work as a marble-granite marble worker, an extruder and even a lifeguard, after completing a special training course at the Krasnodar Training Center of the Federal Fire Service in 2009.
Despite possessing such highly qualified specialties, by the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine in 2014 Arseniy was working as a simple handyman at a car wash in Rostov-on-Don, in which he settled after serving in the army.
War in Ukraine
Arsen Sergeevich Pavlov was one of the first volunteers to come to the Donbass after the outbreak of civil war in Ukraine. He subsequently spoke about his arrival in Ukraine in one of his few interviews:
How did it turn out? I got on the train and arrived. I did not delve into. The Russians are here, so here I am. He already said: as soon as Molotov’s cocktails flew to the Maidan at the police, it became clear to me - that’s all, this is war. After the Natsiks declared that ten Russians would be killed for each of their own, I did not see the point of waiting for the threat to become a reality …
At first, he, like most around, armed only with some kind of sticks and fittings, took part in the construction of roadblocks. After some time, he was already entrusted with the leadership of a special anti-tank unit, which became part of the Donetsk People’s Militia Igor Strelkov.
In 2014, after publishing his own video reports about the battles of the Donetsk militia near Slavyansk, and later about the battles for the Donetsk airport and operations near Ilovaisk and Debaltseve, Arseniy Pavlov became known to the public. His amateur stories began to be broadcast in news programs.
Thanks to his combat experience, fearlessness, concern for the soldiers entrusted to him, as well as natural charisma and video reports, very soon Arseny (Motorola) became a living legend, was wounded several times.
For his military merits and contribution to the liberation of Donbass, Arsen was awarded the St. George Cross of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Order of Military Valor of the first degree. Later he was awarded the title of Hero of the Donetsk People’s Republic.
Personal life
Arseny Pavlov, whose biography is considered in the article, was twice married.
His first wife was Victoria Kondrashova, whom he met in Rostov-on-Don, after returning from the army. From a marriage with Victoria in 2007, his son Daniel was born.
However, in May 2014, already while participating in the hostilities in the Donbass, Arseny had the opportunity to save a 21-year-old girl from under the collapse of one of the villages near Slavyansk. She turned out to be Elena Kolenkina, the last love of Motorola.
Here is how Arseny Pavlov himself describes the events of those days:
I went to the cellars of Semenovka after the shelling, suddenly I see - the girl is beautiful. She was with mom, I asked:
- Do you need a son-in-law?
- Needed!
- Then I’m taking Lena to my place.
He took her phone, she was wounded by a splinter in her hand, drove to the doctors. And after 2 months they decided to get married …
Arseniy and Elena became the first officially registered husband and wife in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The magnificent celebration of July 11, 2014 was attended by all the first persons of the republic, as well as representatives of many foreign and domestic media. A St. George ribbon was woven into the braids of the bride of Elena, and a holster with a pistol was hidden under the wedding dress. The first in the People's Republic newlyweds were issued a certificate of marriage under the number 0001.
On April 21, 2015, Arseny Pavlova and Elena Kolenkina had a daughter, Miroslav, and on October 2, 2016, their son Makar was born.
