Heroes Among Us
10/9/2025
Serviceman from Zaporizhzhia: “Defending the country is everyone’s duty, even for civilians”
According to Roman Matsiura, a Zaporizhstal worker turned soldier, protecting the nation entails more than just combat; it also requires reinforcing the home front.Fifty-year-old Roman Matsiura, a native of Zaporizhzhia, had a long history of involvement with metallurgy, but he had always been ready to defend his homeland. Roman recounts, "I completed my studies at a military department, was called to serve in 2015 for a year, and then released by presidential decree. I spent a considerable time working at Zaporizhstal. However, I realized an all-out invasion was unavoidable and that the military would require my service once more, so in 2021, I entered into a reservist contract, awaiting mobilization.In 2016, he started working at the Zaporizhstal plant as an electrician in the steelmaking shop. At various times, both his mother and wife also worked at the plant. “Our work at the Open Hearth Shop was dynamic and challenging, but we all understood its importance, so we worked in a coo