Director at 19, Hero of Ukraine at 25. The story of reconnaissance company commander who entered Kursk Oblast

Now the soldier is undergoing rehabilitation after five bullet wounds. While he recovers, he conducts unofficial recruitment.

"In this hookah bar, where I am sitting and talking to you right now, a hookah smoker decided to serve. We talked to him, and after that he applied to the recruitment center: he will join one of the brigades or join us. This guy is 23 years old."

"Alright, we're in deep water now"

Like any guy who wants to earn money, I started working as a teenager. At the age of 14-15, I worked part-time at a construction site. My first official job was as a waiter at 18. After a few months, I realized that this was not my thing and focused on my studies.

Back in school, I chose law. I thought I would either be an attorney or a lawyer. During my internship at the city council and the police, where I mostly did paperwork, I realized that I didn't want to be involved in government agencies either. So I chose the business sector.

While studying, I worked part-time at a real estate agency. I was promoted to director within nine months. I was 19 at the time. Somehow it just happened – I guess I just found my field.

Then the “COVID era” began. I remember coming to the office, where there were usually 20 people, and no one came to work. Literally no one. Then I thought: "That's it, we're in deep water now. This is probably where my career will go downhill."

But I and a few other employees managed to save the company. I realized that I was able to pull someone's business out of a crisis situation and thought: "What's the point of me working here if I can successfully run my own business?" And at the age of 20, back in the COVID days, I founded my own agency.

Now we have become Metrum, a fairly strong company in the Lviv market. We have already reached the point where we provide all real estate services. Now the business works without my participation. We have two directors and my partner who controls everything. The company is working and thriving. I am still focused on other things.

By the way, my past experience – the ability to manage people – helped me a lot in the army.

Another advantage was that I was studying law. We all know what the army is. There are 18 journals and 20 types of reports. It's a bit of a mess if you don't have experience. It was easier for me because I at least understood what documents are and how to work with them.

"Go rest, it's not your time yet"

My grandmother was involved in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, a Ukrainian nationalist paramilitary and partisan formation founded by the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists in October 1942 and was active until 1960UPA, helping the rebels. Everyone in the family knew about it. Therefore, I grew up with the understanding that if, God forbid, a war broke out, I would join the defense of my country. At the same time, I studied at the University of Internal Affairs at the military department.

My school also played a role. We had a historian who taught his subject well. And I remember a teacher of "Defense of the Fatherland" – a peculiar man, who instilled patriotism. He was a beekeeper himself and would often bring jars of honey, make tea, and start the class that way. When you are 15 or 16, you usually don't really want to go to the last lesson. But we attended his.

I was still at school when the Maidan started in 2014. A Heavenly Hundred Memorial was built in our town, A town in the Sheptytskyi district of Lviv OblastRadekhiv. We all knew what was happening. I was watching TV at the time and really wanted to help. I was worried that I could not join in. But I waited for my time.

On February 24, 2022, my wife and children went abroad and took two other families with them. I decided to join the army. Of course, I was scared. But I realized: if we don't go to defend our state now, we won't have one. And everything that our ancestors handed down to us – land, history, culture – will be destroyed.

The way I got into the army was like a quest. It was the end of February. I had just turned 23 years old, and they didn't want to take me as they said I was young and had no combat experience. Guys with experience in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in DonbasATO and older guys were accepted, while young people were rejected: "Go rest, it's not your time yet."

And then Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi recorded a video about the formation of the new 125th Brigade. I packed up and left in the evening. There were many vacancies in the new brigade, so I was accepted.

We were trained for quite a while. Battalion after battalion went to the frontline. We were the last to leave – I got to the front in late 2022.

I did not know where I would end up. I did not have enough military qualifications to choose. I wanted to get a weapon as soon as possible and defend my homeland. I actually thought that we would get on a bus and go to defend Kyiv. But it didn't happen that way.

"My hookah is here with me"

I was immediately promoted to the position of commander: first of a platoon in the 125th Brigade, and later of a reconnaissance company of the 103rd Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces. It was just fate that I started working in intelligence.

How did I become a commander so quickly? Those who appointed me know better. But I think it is deserved: those around you see your results.

I was lucky with my people. There were volunteers in the Territorial Defense, including businessmen. They were conscientious and motivated people. I was also lucky with my sergeant. He had combat experience and taught me. Of course, there were difficult moments, just like in any team.

They couldn't help but perceive me as a commander: I gained authority and maximum trust after my first sorties and first missions.

When people saw that I was constantly with them, on the front line, performing tasks together, sleeping in the same trenches or dugouts, eating the same food, they began to respect me. And when we did a good job, when we were all alive and well, we appreciated it. But this is a stage that needs to be reached.

I had to work with other commanders who were 24-25 years old. This is an absolutely normal practice. Age does not play a role for either soldiers or commanders. What is more important is what kind of person you are, how you organize your work, and what kind of team you have.

Sometimes you have to raise your voice if the situation requires it. For example, when someone doesn't understand something or doesn't do their best. I explain why it is important, why they should try harder. But you can't behave like some kind of nutter who is constantly shouting.

If everything has been done well, we just relax and joke around. We communicate with each other as friends. If we can, we go out for pizza and coffee.

When we had a chance to rest after going to our positions, I would prepare a hookah and take it with us, sit on the beanbags, look at the sky and discuss some situation. We tried to relax as much as possible.

"If you let doubts prevail, everything will go wrong"

a village in the Kupyansk district of Kharkiv OblastTabayivka was the most difficult for me. We were entering an unfamiliar area, abandoned positions. We didn't know whether the Russians were there or whether it was empty. We were looking for them on the map because we did not know exactly where they were. We had to keep ourselves under control and work with people.

It was hard. I realized that I couldn't get confused: if you started working, you have to work. You can't stop to think about the situation, get anxious, or readjust yourself. You can only do that when you're back. And you have to be as focused as possible on your positions. If you even think that you are doing something wrong, everything will go wrong.

We had such a situation. A guy who knew the way was leading the group. During a break, he was asked if he was sure because someone thought we were going the wrong way. As a result, he changed the route. We got to the position, but via a completely different road – not the one we were supposed to take.

Even the slightest doubt should be rejected when a group is working. You know the plan, you know what you're doing, you know the route and the tasks – work clearly. Of course, you need to react to situations that arise, but do not doubt yourself.

"Time to go for a walk to Kursk Oblast"

The news that we were going to Kursk Oblast caught me during my first leave this year. It had to be interrupted: on the eighth day, I received a call that I had to come immediately.

We had long joked that it was time for us to go to Kursk Oblast for a walk. But, of course, we never talked about it seriously. Nothing hinted at the fact that there would be such a task.

We were given a few days to prepare and replenish. We were given the means we needed. There was no time to worry or think about it. I focused as much as possible on preparing the personnel, and collecting materiel, including equipment and weapons. We were well prepared.

There was no resistance from the locals. We didn't expect it, because they were a bit spineless: hiding in basements, looking at us with fear. We only occasionally saw them on the streets. But we didn't contact them as it was obvious that they were afraid of us.

We did not take anything from them, not even water. We had everything with us and relied only on ourselves.

Our unit successfully accomplished the tasks we had set for ourselves. Everything went as we had planned. Unexpectedly and successfully. Of course, we met resistance from the Russian military when we entered Kursk Oblast: we faced fighting. But we went in according to the plan and gained a foothold.

The "most memorable" mission was when I was wounded. We coped successfully: I was the only [WIA] in the whole group, which is a pretty good result. I felt a lot of pain. But I had enough adrenaline to go into a shelter and get to the vehicle. There I received medical assistance.

The guys did a good job, the evacuation was quick. Meanwhile, the group "cleared" the area, took prisoners, and moved on.

"I never imagined that you can become a Hero during your lifetime"

No one told me that I was going to be awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Everyone kept it a secret. I did not know until the moment of the award. At least they told my wife.

I was invited to come. I thought it would be the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytskyi or the Order for Courage, but not the Hero of Ukraine.

I didn't realize that you could get it during your lifetime. I don't know any Heroes of Ukraine personally. And besides, I am not in a very high position, so it seemed unrealistic to me.

The request came from the command of our brigade. Now I managed to ask around a bit, but still few people tell me anything. I understand that this award is for our success in the Kursk operation. Whether it is deserved or not, I cannot assess. This is a matter for the people who work with me and know me.

I have several awards. The first one is the third-class For Merit to the City of Sumy for an operation in a village in Sumy Oblast where Akhmat had put up a Russian flag. They reported that they had taken the village. We took it back in two days.

The second was the medal Defender of the Fatherland. The third award is the Silver Cross, which is given for successful planning and fulfillment of the tasks of one's unit. I also have the Cross of the Brave badge. I received it when I returned from Kursk Oblast. And the fifth one is the Hero of Ukraine.

You might laugh, but I keep my awards above the TV, next to my books, in a bag. Perhaps in the future they will be where they belong. But now there is a lot of work to be done, there is no time for that.

Every service member who is currently performing tasks deserves such an award. It is huge work. We managed to stop this invasion and have been fighting effectively for three years.

Every fallen soldier deserves the title of Hero of Ukraine. I had a brother-in-arms Denys Melnyk. He deserves this award 100% – unfortunately, posthumously. There is now a petition about this, and I really want as many people as possible to sign it.

"My conscience does not allow me to feel sorry for myself"

I suffered five bullet wounds. I was shot in the legs, arm, and stomach. My legs are already healing up: I can't walk five kilometers, but I've started to run a little bit.

My arm is harder, but my fine motor skills are returning: I can pick up objects and hold a joystick. The rehabilitators are working well. My stomach is also healing. I can eat almost everything except spicy food. I'm still trying to stick to my diet.

I don't feel much discomfort now – only the external fixation apparatus on my arm makes it difficult to dress. It is also inconvenient to shower: I have to wrap my arm with a bag to prevent water from getting there.

I am very lucky that I still have my arms and legs, and my head was not damaged. I look at other guys who have no limbs, and my conscience does not allow me to feel sorry for myself.

Now my reconnaissance company is headed by a temporary acting commander. We are in constant communication. I am regularly involved in meetings via video. Sometimes someone calls to ask for advice.

I can't leave my team so I'll return as soon as I'm rehabilitated. Although I dream that Ukraine will win before I return, so I can live a happy life with my family and build my business.

If this happens, I will be the happiest man on the planet. If not, and the active phase of the war continues, I will, of course, return to my unit.

I'm 25 now. I can't say that a part of my life was taken away from me, and that's all. It depends on perception. It's very important to find harmony and balance, to try to turn the situation on your side. Everyone spends their youth in their own way. I chose this path.

The army is not a one-way street. We also have a life, we organize our own leisure time. It is important not to focus on the fact that your youth is being taken away from you, but to try to work and look for positive moments. For example, during the war, my wife and I flew to Egypt and went to Jordan. Before the invasion, we traveled a lot, and now we are also looking for opportunities to do so.