Stories of Heroes: Major Vadim Zelenyuk
Vadim Zelenyuk is a major of the special purpose unit “Omega” of the Northern Union of the National Guard of Ukraine. Participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Died on August 22, 2022, defending Ukraine.
Strong, brave and courageous, multiple champion and medalist of Ukraine and Europe in combat sambo and judo, European champion in universal combat. From his school years, the young man among his classmates was distinguished by sincerity and frankness.
He was always ready to help. Morally stable, always had his own point of view and was able to defend it.
In 2010, after graduating from the Kyiv National University of Internal Affairs, he went from an officer of the combat assault group of a special purpose and counter-terrorism unit of one of the units of the Northern Union to a sports instructor of the I category of the Neo-Olympic sports group of the sports team of the National Guard Club of Ukraine.
Since 2014, he has been constantly on rotation performing combat missions in the east of our state. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian forces on the territory of Ukraine, Vadim was part of a group whose task was to conduct reconnaissance of targets and adjustment of artillery fire in the Kiev region. Thanks to skillful actions and extreme work, the price of information was obtained for the further advancement of the Armed Forces.
Vadim showed himself to be a brave officer who, risking his life, was one of the first in the group to move along the routes of possible finding the enemy. In the course of reconnaissance, the group discovered enemy patrol routes, observation posts and a command post. The exact coordinates of the accumulation of armored vehicles were determined - about 24 units, which were transferred to the artillery of the Armed Forces. As a result of the work carried out by the group, which included Vadim, a safe path was opened and the defense line was moved 12 km to the village of Buzov. Thanks to a well-planned action plan and the coordination of the group, which remained undetected by the enemy throughout the route, a lot of important information was gathered. Since June, the man took part in the assault operations in the city of Severodonetsk.
During fierce battles on the territory of the Severodonetsk auto repair plant, he showed courage and did not stop before the overwhelming forces of the enemy. Thanks to the coordinated actions of the group, the professionalism of each serviceman, a bright operation was carried out to seize the administrative building of the plant and capture six military personnel of the Russian Federation. According to the data they provided, it became known about the forces and means of the enemy, which subsequently helped to carry out a counterattack in the specified direction.
Since July, the special task force was part of the Stugna anti-aircraft missile application group. Almost every day, conducting reconnaissance of the terrain in the “gray zone” in the Donetsk direction to select a convenient position for the use of the complex. On August 22, the group received the task of repelling the offensive actions of the enemy and consolidating on the defined boundaries.
With the help of two calculations of the NLAW ATK, Vadim destroyed 2 enemy BMs along with the crew. When the remnants of the enemy infantry entered the position of the guard, one of the first advanced to meet the enemy's numerous forces and entered the battle. The soldiers, covering each other, moved further and further, destroying the enemy's life force. Walking to the meeting of death step by step, Vadim together with his brothers conquered the captured land. During the movement, Major Zelenyuk, covering his brothers and returning fire on himself, received a gunshot wound, but continued to attack and fire.
Moving between positions, the group came under mortar enemy fire, which was corrected by enemy air reconnaissance. There were a few meters to the next enemy group, but at that moment Vadim was wounded by a shrapnel of a mine that stopped his life. The heroic act of his brother inspired every soldier of the group.
As a result of the stripping, the enemy was completely destroyed and pushed back from the line of defense. Vadim died on the battlefield as a real hero, giving the most valuable — his life, saving his comrades.
Major Vadim Zelenyuk was awarded the Medal “For Military Service to Ukraine” and presented for the highest award with the Order of the Golden Star of the Hero of Ukraine for his courage and heroism during the performance of military and combat tasks.
Press service of the NGU
