Mykhailo O. Zaitsev

Mikhail Oleksandrovych Zaitsev was born on April 23, 1982, in the village of Hruskivtsi, Kalynivka District, Vinnytsia Oblast. Mikhail grew up and matured in the city of Radomyshl, Zhytomyr Oblast. He was one of those who loved life in all its manifestations. Always sincere and smiling. When asked, "How are you?", he would reply, "Better than anyone!". During combat missions, he lifted the spirits of his comrades with his jokes. He dreamed... He planned... He built the future... He planned to retire and enjoy his wife's delicious pies, with his grandchildren playing nearby with a Labrador. He dreamed of seeing his son grow up, whom he raised by example and devoted a lot of his free time to. He taught that a man must keep his word and be responsible. And when he left for another assignment, he told his son that he would be the elder, that he must protect their girls, take care of them, and give them flowers. Mikhail was physically resilient, brave, and responsible — which is why after graduating from school in 2000, he enrolled in the Zhytomyr Military Institute. At the beginning of his fourth year of study, he proposed to his beloved Yulia, with whom he had been friends and dating since school. After successfully completing his studies, he began his military career in military unit 0753 in the village of Serebriya, Mohyliv-Podilskyi District, Vinnytsia Oblast. That year, along with his military rank, he received his most important title — father. He named his son Denys. From a young age, he trained him, instilling his love for sports. By his own example, he showed what a man should be like. Later, he realized that he wanted to serve the Ukrainian people and uphold the law. He constantly trained, improved his hand-to-hand combat and shooting skills, and in May 2008, he joined the internal affairs bodies. After a few months of service, he became a father for the second time. This time, the name was chosen with his son. "Her name will be Daria. Denys and I decided so," Mikhail said as he took his girls home. Family life and service were his two pillars in life. He protected his family, not telling them about what he had to face and the difficult and dangerous situations he encountered. Later, Mikhail served in the "Sokil" special unit of the organized crime control department, then in the rapid response department and in the special police unit of the National Police. During his service in special units, he was constantly involved in tasks related to the detention of members of criminal organizations, bandit formations, and armed criminal groups, as well as armed particularly dangerous criminals. Starting in 2014, he repeatedly served in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, carrying out combat missions. In June 2018, he successfully completed a "survival school" and became the deputy head of the KORD department in Vinnytsia Oblast — head of the operational response department. "He loved his job, loved what he did, and was happy," Mikhail Zaitsev's friends recall. "The special purpose unit is not only made up of professionals in their field; these are people who trust each other with their lives and perform the most difficult combat tasks. It was always calm with Mikhail because he was a man of armor, always covering the whole group from the front. He was the first in everything, setting the pace and rhythm in the unit. He tried to be the best in everything." According to his colleagues, despite his ease, liveliness, and sense of humor, Mikhail always had a clear head and determination. He assessed the situation clearly and acted cold-bloodedly. He always saw things through to the end. From the first days of the war, Mikhail Zaitsev, along with other officers from the Vinnytsia KORD, became part of the combined unit of the National Police of Ukraine "Safari." After successfully completing the task of clearing the enemy from the territories of the cities of Irpin and Bucha, Mikhail Zaitsev was sent to the Zaporizhzhia region. His life was cut short on May 22, 2022, during a missile attack by the Russians. In March 2022, Mikhail Zaitsev was posthumously awarded the rank of "Colonel of Police." For his diligent service, determination and courage, professionalism, and impeccable service to the Ukrainian people, Mikhail Oleksandrovych Zaitsev was awarded the Order of "For Courage" III degree (posthumously).