Andriy Zhilin, a participant in the regional “Young Person of the Year – 2026” competition in the “Heart of Victory” category
The history of freedom is shaped by people who selflessly defend every inch of their homeland. Among them is Andriy Zhilin, a graduate of the Novodonetsk Secondary School, whose name has come to symbolize courage and resilience for the entire Novodonetsk community.
Andriy spent his youth near the front lines after 2014, an experience that shaped his civic stance. With the onset of the full-scale invasion, he left his civilian job and stepped up to defend his homeland. At first, he fought for the freedom of the Kharkiv region in the ranks of the Territorial Defense Forces, and later returned to defend his native Donetsk region.
In 2023, during a reconnaissance mission near Klishchiivka in the Bakhmut sector, the soldier stepped into a minefield and sustained extremely severe injuries. Finding himself in the crosshairs of enemy drones, he administered first aid to himself until he could be evacuated. A long road to rehabilitation awaited him in Kharkiv and at the “Unbreakable” center in Lviv.
Thanks to his tremendous willpower, Andriy mastered a modern prosthetic limb and returned to the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His passionate love for sports gave him the opportunity to take the first symbolic kick of the ball at a Shakhtar FC match. For the youth of the Novodonetsk community, particularly the participants in the “Stories of the Brave” project, Andriy Zhilin is a true role model and an example of how an unbreakable spirit can overcome any challenge.