Before the full-scale war, Vadym worked at a school — teaching “Defense of Ukraine” and physical education. That job earned him his callsign “Fizruk” (“Gym Teac

His story was shared on the page of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

At the start of Russia’s invasion, he voluntarily joined the 1st Battalion of Drone Systems of the 105th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.

“I understood then that mobilization would happen anyway, so I went myself”, — he recalls.

He began his service as a rifleman. Over time, he started working with drones in the unit.

“At that time, Mavics were extremely rare. We had one or two drones, and we were genuinely afraid to lift them so we wouldn’t lose them”, — Vadym says.

He emphasizes that preserving the lives of personnel was always the top priority.

“It’s better to lose a drone than a soldier. If you need to provide video until the end — you provide it, even knowing the drone won’t return”, — he said.

Vadym also recalled combat episodes where coordinated teamwork enabled successful strikes.

“There were times when two Mavics with drop systems approached from different sides of a tree line. The enemy had nowhere to run and was destroyed. It was teamwork — one mechanism”, — he said.

Vadym rose from soldier to senior sergeant. He now mainly handles organization and logistics — ensuring drone pilots have everything they need.

“Now my task is to supply the pilots. Just as others once supplied me, now I supply others”, — he explains.

He stresses the importance of developing the army, the NCO corps, and passing on real combat experience.

Vadym has many awards from his service in the 105th Brigade, including:

  • Territorial Defense Forces Cross,

  • Golden Cross,

  • the Presidential Honor “For the Defense of Ukraine”.