Mykhailo «Tiahach»* Prystupa
*Callsign «Tiahach» translates to «The Hauler» or «Prime Mover», signifying immense strength and reliability
Mykhailo Serhiiovych Prystupa was born on August 28, 1994, in the village of Syrnyky, near Lutsk. He grew up in a large family. After finishing the 9th grade, he attended night school while working simultaneously.
He was an active participant in the Revolution of Dignity from its first day to its last. Being at the epicenter of the protests, he became the Sotnyk (a leader of a «Hundred»/protest unit). Following the Revolution, he joined the volunteer battalions, serving in the DUK PS (Volunteer Ukrainian Corps «Right Sector») and the UDA (Ukrainian Volunteer Army). He went as a volunteer because the official military recruitment offices initially refused to enlist him.
Mykhailo was deeply interested in Ukrainian history. He had many entrepreneurial ambitions and successfully launched a business during his time in civilian life.
In 2019, he returned to the military, signing a contract with the 503rd Separate Marine Battalion. Until February 24, 2022, he served in Mariupol. With the start of the full-scale invasion, his unit was redeployed to the Kyiv region.
Mykhailo fell in battle on March 5, 2022, near Irpin, Kyiv region, while protecting his brothers-in-arms from russians. He was 27 years old.
He was laid to rest in the Alley of Honor in the village of Harazdzha, near Lutsk. Posthumously, Mykhailo was awarded a high state award: the Order «For Courage», 2nd Class. During his service, he also received the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine «Sign of Honour» Badge.
Mykhailo was a guest at our 2021 Leadership Program alongside his wife, Elena, a member of the Ukrainian Students for Freedom. He was a close friend to many USF members and will forever remain a kindred spirit and a worthy example of the struggle for Freedom.
«He was one of the best warriors I ever knew — a natural-born soldier. Over two meters tall, with a face that somehow blended the features of a Viking and a Samurai. A man of few words and almost always serious, he even joked with a deadpan expression. A machine gunner and scout with immense combat experience.
Between his service in the volunteer units and the Marines, he had a break in the rear. He worked, creating ‘pagan-style’ T-shirts that his comrades loved to wear. But he couldn’t settle into civilian life and eventually signed a contract. As a Marine, he served several rotations on the front lines. He earned his Order ‘For Courage’ through true merit», – Olena Bilozerska, military colleague.
«Mykhailo died exactly as he wanted. He wasn’t just a serviceman; he was a Warrior in the truest sense — the embodiment of that historical, archetypal warrior pattern. You could feel it whenever you discussed why this fight mattered. He had been fighting since 2014; for him, war was an art and a way of life. Even though he planned to finish his service before the full-scale invasion, he had been doing it for so long and wanted to build something of his own.
At the same time, Mykhailo was incredibly curious and erudite. He looked at the world and its people with deep interest. He truly understood what he was doing and for whom. First and foremost, he did it for himself — he had his own views on life that often diverged from the mainstream. But that is exactly how strong individuals manifest.
I saw how Mykhailo brought added value to life, especially when he spoke about USF: ‘Damn, you are the people who can change this country, and you are already changing it!’ He regretted that he wasn’t a student himself and couldn’t experience those emotions firsthand», – Anatolii Didyk, Senior Coordinator of Ukrainian Students for Freedom.