For almost four years, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has remained on the agenda of virtually the entire world. While the international community ponders how to wrest the nuclear facility from the enemy's clutches and return it to its rightful operator, and various experts try to predict its future fate, we present the story of Oleh Zhelezniak, who has devoted almost 40 years of his life to the power plant. And when russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, our Guard of Light took up arms and went to defend his native Enerhodar and the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Our hero was born in the town of Terny, now a historic district of Kryvyi Rih. His father was an installer. He built the Zaporizhzhia SDPP and later the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. When our hero was 6 years old, his parents got an apartment in Enerhodar and moved to the satellite town of the ZNPP. There, the future nuclear power professional went to school with his sister, and his mother got a job at a kindergarten.

Oleh Zhelezniak has been fascinated by radio technology since childhood. He attended the "Young Technician" club and subscribed to the "Young Technician" and "Model Builder" magazines. He immediately put his knowledge into practice, making his own receivers and "light show" devices and showing them off to his like-minded friends. Eventually, this hobby helped him choose his future profession. 

"Radio components were in short supply, but we managed to find them somehow," recalls the nuclear power professional. "I went to the radio market in Zaporizhzhia, searched for them, and bought them. Then I designed something and shared it with co-thinkers. I gained a lot of knowledge in the club and through self-development.

In 1984, I got a job as a turner at the Zaporizhzhia SDPP. Enjoying this role, I soon enrolled in the Enerhodar Training Center (now the R. G. Khenokh Institute of State and Municipal Management) for a six-month course in electrical engineering. After completing the training, I was sent to work at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, making my first appearance at the facility's entrance control post in 1986—before I was even 18."

At that time, only the first power unit was operating at the power plant, while the second one was being prepared for launch. It was during this phase that Oleh Zhelezniak began working in the thermal instrumentation and control shop.

"My basic knowledge of radio electronics helped me a lot, and I found my niche," says the nuclear engineer. "But after a while, I felt that I didn't know enough, so I decided to study again. I enrolled in the Dniprorudne specialized school, which had a branch in Enerhodar. I studied for a year to become an electrician, gained new knowledge, upgraded my qualifications to grade IV, and returned to the ZNPP. This time, I got a job in the electrical shop, where I serviced uninterruptible power supply units. Here, I worked my way up from a grade IV electrician to a foreman."

After receiving a promotion, our Guard of Light decided that his existing knowledge was again insufficient for the effective performance of his duties, so he once again went to study: first at the Kyiv Energy Technical School (now the Kyiv Professional College), and later at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.

"For some reason, I was constantly studying," explains the nuclear power professional. “The thing is, I started out as an electronics engineer, and then changed direction and became an electrician. So I needed to gain more specialized knowledge. This time, I studied on an extramural basis. It wasn't easy to combine work, study, and family, especially since our daughter Yulia was just born. Moreover, all this happened in the early 90s, when the soviet union collapsed. But my wife supported me, so I managed to achieve what I had planned.”

In 2004, Oleh Zhelezniak's life changed radically – first in his career, and then in his personal life. He transferred to the radiation safety department, which later became a shop. Over time, an engineering and technical support laboratory was created, which our Guard headed.

In addition, the nuclear worker, his wife, and their younger daughter Daria moved from Enerhodar to Ivanivka, where they bought a house with a piece of land. There, the family took up gardening.

"My wife and I planted peach and nectarine trees; there were only a few trees," says Oleh. "I didn't plan to have a garden and grow these fruits, but somehow a few trees turned into 100.

At first, it was just a hobby. Then, when the harvest became abundant, and we couldn't eat it all, we started sharing it with others. And when there was too much, I created a group on Viber and started selling the harvest little by little through my friends. Eventually, I couldn't even keep up with posting ads, as orders were pouring in one after another. Sometimes there wasn't even enough produce for everyone who wanted it. I remember that people loved fig nectarines the most.

Unfortunately, I don't know what has become of the garden and the house. I don't keep in touch with my fellow countrymen; I worry about their safety."

The man felt that Ukraine and Ukrainians were in danger because of their aggressive neighbor long before the full-scale invasion. On February 23, 2022, he voluntarily went to the military enlistment office. There, they recorded his details and sent him home, promising to call him if necessary.

"Long before the full-scale invasion began, I started to view everything that was happening in our country tragically," the defender shares. "I analyze various situations at work and understand that even then, people were divided into two camps.

Enerhodar is an international town. When it was founded, everyone was united by a shared vision, and I never saw any discrimination between Ukrainians and russians. However, when russian propaganda began to be gradually released to the masses, the community became restless.

The Enerhodar residents were most affected by the Euromaidan in 2014, which marked the beginning of the struggle for the future existence of our state. Some openly mocked and rejected the Ukrainian language and ridiculed the national anthem. It is sad to admit, but most likely there were those who were waiting for russia.

The alarming situation and news in the media prompted me to go to the military enlistment office the day before the full-scale invasion. Although, to be honest, I am not much of a soldier. I did not serve in the army because of a valvular heart disease, and I was already 55 years old. So they didn't really want to take me into the army. They said they would call me if necessary and sent me home."

On February 24, 2022, Oleh Zhelezniak went to work. He knew that the war had begun because he could see Marhanets burning from his village of Ivanivka. After a while, he received a call from the military enlistment office asking him to come in. After informing his boss and his wife, the defender went. After waiting in a long line, the volunteer recruit signed a three-year contract.

The defenders of Ukraine were first taken to Vasylivka, where they continued to be remanned. For almost a day, the volunteer fighters were without food or weapons. Later, a volunteer arrived and fed them borscht and tea. Then they were given weapons and began to receive training in their use. Next, the defenders were redeployed to Kamianske, where they were divided into units and given military uniforms, and later transferred to Zaporizhzhia. After a short time, the defenders were stationed in the Komyshuvakha area, where the first battles began.

"At the beginning of the war, we were all infantrymen, riflemen," Oleh recalls. "Later, I ended up in a unit that dealt with logistics, where I had a job that was not directly related to combat positions. I stayed in logistics until the end of 2022, and when things on the front line started to go badly, I was transferred back to the rifle unit. Unfortunately, then we suffered our first losses.

I defended my homeland until April 8, 2025, fighting in the Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kupiansk areas. During this time, my health gave way significantly, and I had a stroke. I endured it on my feet because there was no other option on the front lines at the time. Then I went to the Military Medical Commission, where I was restricted from service, and later the Medical and Social Expert Commission gave me a disability group. I returned to work at Energoatom".

Our Guard admits that the spirit of brotherhood and the great support of his wife and daughters, as well as various talismans, helped him stay on the front line. Volunteers sent them to the frontline along with camouflage nets. The nuclear worker's assistant was a motanka doll (a rag doll), received back in 2022. 

Circumstances have led Oleh Zhelezniak to currently work and live in Varash. He is a leading environmental protection engineer at the Rivne NPP's "SS "Warehousing". Once again, he has to get used to new places, tasks, and colleagues. However, there is one thing that remains unchanged—gardening.

"After returning from the front, I bought a cottage in Varash and planted a garden there," the defender shares. “80% of the trees are peaches and nectarines. In five years, we will see how it turns out. After all, it takes five years for a tree to gain strength and to understand whether it will bear fruit or not. This is especially true in Varash, a town in the north of the country, because peach trees are plants from China.”

And although our Guard of Light is gradually getting used to everything and adapting, there are things he cannot accept. He admits that some Ukrainian citizens surprise him: 

"It baffles me when Ukrainians pretend that there is no war and lead a riotous, boisterous lifestyle. People! You can help even if you are not on the front line. You can do a lot for Victory in the rear!

Yes, you should live, enjoy even the smallest things despite everything, but don't pretend that the war doesn't concern you and that it's only a matter for the military or those who live in the frontline territories. War is our common grief, and Victory is only possible when we unite!"

Oleh Zhelezniak calls on Ukrainians to unite, because he is convinced that only together will we be able to drive the enemy out of our homeland: 

“We have an enemy who does not understand words, he only understands force! So we must be united, strong, and unyielding! Then we will be able to save our country! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!”