“Vitya would give you the shirt off his back," his comrades-in-arms used to say about Viktor Fitak. And it was far more than just a saying. That was exactly how he lived: helping others, sharing what he had, offering support, and always thinking first of those around him and only then of himself.
Viktor Fitak was born in the village of Novoivanivka in Zaporizhzhia District. Viktor Fitak completed secondary school, studied at the Zaporizhzhia Metallurgical Lyceum, and served his compulsory military service with the Desna military unit. After completing his military service, he worked at Motor Sich and later joined Zaporizhstal.
At the plant, Viktor worked for just two months as a metallurgical crane operator in the scrapyard area. However, he never had the chance to fully begin this new chapter of his life.
In February 2022, Viktor received his draft notice and went to defend Ukraine. At the time, he was raising three underage children and was entitled to a deferment from military service. But he chose to join the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders.
He had long wanted to work at Zaporizhstal and was delighted when he completed his training and secured a position there. He dreamed of raising his children, being close to his family, and living an ordinary life. But when the war began, he chose to protect the lives of others. “He was brave and selfless,” says his wife, Viktoriia.
A heart of gold...
Caring for others had been part of his character long before the war. In his home village, Viktor was known as someone who would never refuse to help anyone. He always found a way to support those who needed it.
And he remained just the same among brothers-in-arms. Viktor served as a rifleman in the reconnaissance company of the 114th Battalion of the 110th Brigade, defending Ukraine on Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk fronts.
“At the beginning of the full-scale war, when military personnel were short of equipment, Vitya tried to obtain body armour not for himself, but for the fellows. He was constantly thinking of others. I would bring him home-cooked food, pizza, pickles and pies, and he would share it all with his brothers-in-arms, leaving almost nothing for himself. “That was so typical of him: generous and kind,” Victoria recalls.
Victor loved sweets. But even when it came to his favourite treats, he was never in a hurry to enjoy them himself. He always kept sweets with him so that he could offer them to others.
His brothers-in-arms still remember Victor as a kind and sincere man who was always ready to lend a helping hand. You could always rely on him.
…now lives on in his children
He was just as caring at home. Victor was a loving husband and the devoted father of a son and two daughters. He played an active role in raising them, spent a great deal of time with his children, and taught them how to ride bicycles.
His wife, Victoria, often filmed him with their children. Victor would often joke, “Why are you always filming me?”
Those recordings have now become especially precious. They preserve his voice, his smile, and the ordinary moments of family life. Memories that their children can return to whenever they miss their father.
On 21 April 2022, Victor Fitak was killed in action in Donetsk region, near the village of Vremivka in Volnovakha district. He was only 32 years old. He was posthumously awarded the Order for Courage, Third Class.
He gave his life defending Ukraine. To his wife and children, he remained in memory as a loving husband and father; to his brothers-in-arms, as an example of humanity and selflessness; and to his native village, as a man who was deeply loved and respected.
Nearly the entire village turned out for Victor’s funeral. People came to bid farewell to a man who, during his lifetime, had helped so many and left behind a legacy of kindness.
The name of Victor Fitak is forever commemorated on the Tree of Memory Memorial in Zaporizhzhia, a tribute to his courage and a token of gratitude for his devotion to Ukraine.
Remembering every one of them
We are grateful to every man and woman who stood up to defend Ukraine and remained faithful to their oath until the very end. With particular sorrow, we remember those who will never return home. Among them are 88 Zaporizhstal employees who lost their lives defending Ukraine.
Among them are 88 Zaporizhstal employees who lost their lives defending Ukraine. Husband. Father. Son. Brother. Friend. Colleague. Each of them had their own dreams, families, and plans for the future. Today, their names remain forever a part of our history.
We remember Victor Fitak. We remember all our employees who never returned from the war. And we thank every serviceman and servicewoman whose courage allows Ukraine to endure and carry on.
May all the fallen Heroes be remembered forever. Forever remembered, forever honoured.
