Zyumbyul Atanasov Dobrev
Zyumbyul Atanasov Dobrev | |
|---|---|
 Dobrev in 2010 | |
| Born | 14 July 1982 Drobelad, Galania |
| Died | 29 March 2016 (aged 33) Kromrovo, Galania |
| Allegiance |  Syara |
| Service/ | Syaran National Army |
| Years of service | 2006-2011 |
| Rank | Chief Master Sergeant |
| Unit | 5th Battalion, 22nd Armored Brigade, 2nd Armored Division, IX Corps, 7th Army |
| Battles/wars | Zemplen War |
| Awards | see below |
Zyumbyul Atanasov Dobrev (14 July, 1982 - 29 March, 2016) was a Syaran veteran and tank ace of the Zemplen War.
Born in in Drobelad, Galania to a lower class family, Dobrev enlisted in the Syaran National Army in 2006 and became a tank crew member. Upon the outbreak of the Zemplen War Dobrev was promoted to Junior Sergeant and given command of his own tank as part of the 2nd Armored Division of IX Corps, 7th Army. Dobrev took part in the August Offensive, then along with the rest of Army Group Alpha during Operation Harpe, where he fought at the decisive Battle of Soltvadkert. By then Battalion NCOIC, Dobrev fought during Operation Overshadow and spent the remainder of the war holding defensive positions in northern Ruvelka before withdrawing with the rest of the Army Group during Operation Homefront. Dobrev retired from the Syaran Army in 2011 with the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. He comitted suicide in 2016.
The Syaran Army did not keep track of recorded tank kills but historians have generally accepted that Dobrev was personally responsible for the destruction of 35 Ruvelkan tanks and between 45-55 other armored vehicles based on unit records and journals, making him Syara's leading tank ace of the war. He was recognized by the Syaran Commonality Armed Forces as such shortly after his death, which prompted awareness of veteran mental health awareness. He was posthumously recognized as a Hero of the Syaran People, and the Syaran armored warfare school in Makedon was officially renamed Zymbul Dobrev Training facility in 2017.