Mikola Vashchuk Vasilovich

Mykola Vasyliovych Vashchuk was born on June 5, 1959 in the village of Velyka Khaicha, Ovrutskyi district, Zhytomyr region, in a peasant family. In 1974, he graduated from the 8th grade of secondary school. After graduating from high school, he worked in Kyiv at the "Bolshevyk" plant. In 1978-1980 he served in the ranks of the Soviet Army. In 1982, he was hired by the internal affairs bodies as a firefighter of the 6th independent paramilitary fire department (SVCH-6) for the protection of the city of Pripyat. Since February 1985, he worked as the commander of the SVPCH-6 branch.

On April 26, 1986, Lieutenant Volodymyr Pravyk was the chief of the duty fire watch, and among the firefighters: Mykola Vashchuk, Vasyl Ignatenko, Viktor Kibenok, Mykola Titenok, Volodymyr Tyshura and others.

Mykola was on duty instead of a friend, he was supposed to get married at the beginning of May. During the liquidation of the accident, he installed a truck ladder between the third and fourth power units. His department laid a working hose line on the roof. At 4:50 the fire was contained.

After prolonged exposure to a high level of radiation exposure, heat release and smoke inhalation, Mykola Vashchuk was discharged from combat service and hospitalized. He was treated in a special clinic in Moscow, but the radiation dose was too high.

Mykola Vasyliovych died on May 14, 1986. Buried in Moscow at Mytinsky Cemetery.

Family

The widow Inna and son Anatoly remained.

Awards

• Hero of Ukraine with the award of the Golden Star Order (April 21, 2006, posthumously) — for a heroic deed in the name of the lives of current and future generations, personal courage and self-sacrifice, shown in the liquidation of the accident at Chornobyl NPP.
• Award of the President of Ukraine — Cross "For Courage" (May 8, 1996, posthumously) — for personal courage and bravery shown in liquidation of the accident at the Chernobyl NPP.
• Order of the Red Banner (posthumous).

Commemoration

The Hero's name is engraved on one of the memorial plaques to the Heroes of Chernobyl in Kyiv at the intersection of Verkhovna Rada Boulevard and Myru Avenue; the memorial to the fallen employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Kyiv on Solomyanska Square; on the ceiling with the names of Heroes of Chernobyl in Simferopol in Gagarin Park near the entrance from Pavlenko Street.

The bust of the Hero was installed in Kyiv on the Alley of Heroes of Chornobyls at the intersection of Beresteyskyi Avenue and Chornobylska Street.

In April 2016, to the 30th anniversary of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Kyiv, a bas-relief of the Hero was installed on the facade of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in the Kyiv region.

The monument to Mykola Vasyliovych Vashchuk is a bronze bust, standing on a 3.4-meter-high red granite pedestal, in his native village of Velyka Khaicha.

In the city of Vinnytsia there is Mykola Vashchuk street. There is also Mykola Vashchuk Street in the city of Ovruch.

In many cities of Ukraine there is a Street of Heroes of Chernobyl, to which Mykola Vashchuk belongs.