Oleh Shyriaiev

Oleh Viktorovych Shyriaiev
Oleh Shyriaiev
Native name
Олег Вікторович Ширяєв
Born (1986-09-28) 28 September 1986
Miscevo Village, Orekhovo-Zuyevsky District, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union
Allegiance Ukraine
Branch Ukrainian Ground Forces
Years of service
  • 2014—2015
  • 2022—present
Rank Major
Unit
Battles / wars
Awards
Alma materKharkiv National University of Economics
National Guard Military Academy of Ukraine

Oleh Viktorovych Shyriaiev (born 1986) is a Ukrainian military officer who has served as the Commander of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment since 2023.[1][2]

Early life and education

Oleh Viktorovych Shyriaiev was born in 1986 in the settlement of Miscevo, Orekhovo-Zuyevsky District, Soviet Union.[3][4] After Shyriaiev was born, his family moved to Ukraine.[5] From a young age, Shyriaiev was active in sports and interested in Ukrainian Cossack history and the nationalist movement.[3]

Shyriaiev graduated from Lyubotyn secondary school No. 4 in Kharkiv Oblast in 1992.[3][4] He moved to Kharkiv in 2003.[6] He then studied at the Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics, where he earned a master's degree, specializing in accounting and audit.[3][4] While studying at the university, he worked at the State Savings Bank of Ukraine. Six months later, he went on military service in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where he received the rank of sergeant.[6]

He later pursued further military education and earned a master's degree as an Operational Level Officer from the National Academy of the National Guard of Ukraine.[3]

Since the mid-2010s, he has been actively involved in volunteering, public activities, charity work, and organizing sports tournaments in Kharkiv and the surrounding region.[5]

Career

After completing his studies, Shyriaiev worked as a banker in Kharkiv from 2007 to 2014 in various positions.[3][4] During 2008–2009, he completed his compulsory military service in the Ukrainian Air Force as a conscript, serving as a squad commander.[3] Shyriaiev began his career in 2014 during the uprising in Donbas.[7] From 2014 to 2015, he served in the National Police of Ukraine as the commander of the Eastern Corps based in Kharkiv.[3] He has also been involved in volunteering, public service, and organizing sports events in the Kharkiv region.[3]

During the full-scale invasion by Russian troops in March 2022, Shyriaiev initially served as a commander in the 228th battalion of the 127th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.[3][8] In February 2023, he was appointed commander of the 225th battalion.[3] Under his command, the battalion was engaged in the defense near Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, and was later integrated into the Ground Forces as the 225th Separate Assault Battalion in July 2023.[3][9] Shyriaiev, call sign Sirko, led his battalion in several strategic operations across different fronts, including near the cities of Horlivka, Avdiivka, and Chasiv Yar.[10][11][3] In August 2024, the unit advanced into Kursk Oblast of the Russian Federation and captured major territory.[12][3][13]

Awards and recognition

Shyriaiev was awarded the Hero of Ukraine title and Gold Star in recognition of his contributions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[14][15][8][13] He also received the Order for Courage (3rd class) in 2022,[16] the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky (3rd class) in 2023,[17] and the Order of Danylo Halytsky in 2024.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Ukraine's army retreats from Chasiv Yar as Russia gets closer to seizing strategically important town". PBS News. July 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "'They do not surrender': Ukraine commander details fight with North Koreans in Russia". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Шушківський, А. І. (December 12, 2024). "Ширяєв Олег Вікторович". esu.com.ua.
  4. ^ a b c d "Биография Ширяева Олега Викторовича - известного активиста Харькова". www.kv.com.ua.
  5. ^ a b Шушківський, А. І. (December 12, 2024). "Ширяєв Олег Вікторович". Енциклопедія Сучасної України – via esu.com.ua.
  6. ^ a b "Биография Ширяева Олега Викторовича - известного активиста Харькова".
  7. ^ "MSN". MSN (in German). 2025-08-20. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  8. ^ a b "Пробив оборону росіян і став героєм України: Олег Ширяєв отримав "Золоту зірку" від президента". www.unian.ua. October 11, 2024.
  9. ^ swissinfo.ch, S. W. I. (May 1, 2024). "Ukrainian forces near besieged Chasiv Yar say they badly need ammunition".
  10. ^ "Ukrainian forces near besieged Chasiv Yar say they badly need ammunition". May 1, 2024 – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
  11. ^ "Battalion commander Oleh Shyriaiev: "Enemy started using 'shoygu-mobiles': golf carts, ATVs, motorcycles. But main problem in Chasiv Yar is UAVs."".
  12. ^ "'They do not surrender': Ukraine commander details fight with North Koreans in Russia". ABC News.
  13. ^ a b O'Grady, Siobhán; Khudov, Kostiantyn; Morgunov, Serhiy (2024-12-22). "Five months on, Ukraine clings to Kursk amid doubts over operation". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  14. ^ "Oleh Shyriaiev became a Hero of Ukraine | Censor.NET".
  15. ^ Sheridan, Danielle (June 30, 2025). "'Hero of Ukraine' commander develops drone-proof uniforms" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  16. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №366/2022 — Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України".
  17. ^ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №350/2023 — Офіційне інтернет-представництво Президента України".
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