Kostiantyn "Nelson" Zhuk, DIU special forces officer and one of founders of Kyiv-based "Plast", died in war
The assault group commander, Colonel Kostiantyn Zhuk, died at the age of 68 in May 2024 near Vovchansk.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported on Facebook by the "Bratstvo" special unit of the DIU.
"Colonel Kostiantyn Zhuk, brother Nelson, gained eternal life in battle at the front.
Before the war, he was a professional serviceman, president of the National Association of Motorcyclists of Ukraine, one of the founders of Kyiv Plast. During the ATO, he was the commander of the "Harpoon" Special Forces battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and headed a counter-sabotage group of the Security Service of Ukraine. In biker circles, he is known as Polk," the statement said.
The battalion noted that despite his advanced age, he joined the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine's "Bratstvo" battalion after the start of the Great War. He was in charge of several units for recruiting foreign volunteers. He participated in the management of the defence of Zmiinyi Island.
He was killed in Vovchansk as a commander of an assault group, covering the retreat of his comrades.
The head of the Regional Plast Council, Yurii Yuzych, said that Kostiantyn Zhuk was born on 21 May 1955 in Smila, Cherkasy region. He was Orthodox and non-partisan. He had three higher education degrees, which he received in Kharkiv, Odesa and Kyiv. He has a degree in radio engineering. Until 1992, he served in the Soviet army in command positions up to and including the commander of a separate battalion. Since 1992, he has been in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and since 2004 - in the reserve. On 18 May 1999, he took the oath of allegiance. He invested twenty years of his military pension in military training for young people. While still in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he completed novice and youth training as an educator.
"My friend Colonel is the sixth member of the Order of the Iron Ostroh Plast kuren killed at the front out of 80 who are in the Defence Forces - from the National Guard and patrol police officers to the Special Forces. He was among those who first went to defend Vovchansk in May 2024, after the occupiers' breakthrough. He remained to cover the retreat of his comrades... He lived like a true warrior and went to the Eternal Guard as a hero. Eternal Memory to the Hero!" Yuzych wrote.
