Ihor Dusan (Teach)

Soldier of the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade.

Author of the short story “I’m a Teacher. Not a Hero. I Was Just There” in the collection “Voices of Defenders, Vol. 1”, in which he talks about serving despite a disability, the counteroffensive in the Kherson region, the power of music, post-return depression, and the restoration of friendship with fellow soldiers.

These days, I run to stay in shape. I’m grateful to the military for teaching me discipline. Everything I’ve been through has made me stronger.

Military path

Ihor is 25 years old. He was born in the village of Ripniv, Busk district, and currently lives in the village of Pobuzhany, Zolochiv district, Lviv region.

He served in the 80th Separate Air Assault Brigade with the rank of soldier.

Before the full-scale war, he worked at a school and studied for a bachelor’s degree at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv (Faculty of Pedagogical Education, majoring in Primary Education and English Language Teaching in primary grades). He played music at weddings and is skilled with four musical instruments. He intended to start a family and, before the invasion, worked abroad.

Ihor took part in the liberation of the Kherson region and fought in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk directions. He experienced concussions.

From his front-line stories, he recalls:

When we arrived in one of the villages in the Kherson region, we found a house and quickly set up our living space. We needed to do laundry, but the extension cord was too short. The woman who lent us the washing machine came in with her dog. And right in front of her, the dog snagged the extension cord, and we heard her clear remark:

— “Ugh, damn cord #blasted!”

Civilian life

After his service, Ihor returned to teaching at the lyceum where he worked before the war. He is the homeroom teacher of class 6-B, an educational organizer, and a teacher of the integrated course “Exploring Nature.”

He continues his studies in the master’s program at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. At the same time, he gives private English lessons to children.

How he began writing:

I had never written before and didn’t take it very seriously. Once, the director of the Museum of Dignity suggested I try writing, and a few acquaintances echoed the same idea. But one of my fellow soldiers eventually asked me to tell the story of everything that happened and to write a book.

Favorite books, music, and films:

I love reading. On the front line, I always had a book in my hands. Among Ukrainian writers, my clear favorite is Vasyl Shkliar. I’ve read many of his works and even own a book with his autograph. Among foreign authors, I enjoy Erich Maria Remarque — it was through Remarque that I began my journey in literature.

I enjoy films from MARVEL and DC, as well as science fiction that features heroism and similar themes.

I’m also interested in films about famous people or historical events.

We will only win when our education is infused with patriotism and national values, so that we do not lose the ideological war.

Even now, we are on the right path. Each of us, myself included, is doing what we must in our own place.