Valeriy Kazimirovich Shyshak ("Polyak") - commander of the 1st platoon of the 3rd company of the 1st battalion of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo of the Operational Command "West" of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, junior lieutenant.

Born on December 12, 1960 in the village of Plakho-Petrivka, Bilokurakynskyi district, Luhansk region. Graduated from secondary school.

He served in the military in the ranks of the USSR Armed Forces. He participated in the war in Afghanistan.

He lived in the city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk Oblast. For a long time he worked as an administrator in a restaurant, and later in a credit union. He retired.

Despite his age, he could not stay away from the events surrounding the threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in 2014.

In 2014-2016, he served in the Lugansk-1 Special Purpose Police Patrol Battalion of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region (since 2015, the Lugansk-1 Special Purpose Police Patrol Battalion of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Lugansk region). He participated in the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine.

Since March 16, 2016, he has been serving under a contract in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He graduated from officer courses. He served as the commander of the 1st platoon of the 3rd company of the 1st battalion of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo of the Operational Command "West" of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (military unit A0998 (field post B4680), the city of Yavoriv, ​​Lviv region).

He again participated in the anti-terrorist operation / joint forces operation in eastern Ukraine. Call sign "Polyak". He fought near the village of Krymske, Novoaydarsky district, the city of Popasna, Luhansk region, the city of Toretsk, Donetsk region.

On June 28, 2018 at 8:30 a.m., the enemy opened fire with mortars, automatic grenade launchers, and heavy machine guns on the urban-type settlement of Yuzhnoye, Zaliznyy City Council, Donetsk region, located 2 kilometers northeast of the city of Horlivka, Donetsk region. The command, whose unit was defending this settlement, quickly assessed the situation and organized a battle. In a moment, the next firepower had already opened fire on the enemy.

However, under cover of fire, a sabotage and reconnaissance group of militants approached the urban-type settlement of Pivdenne. The reserve group, which was already fighting on the outskirts of the settlement of Pivdenne within a minute, was led by the platoon commander, Junior Lieutenant Valeriy Shyshak. The battle lasted almost half an hour. During the battle, the platoon commander, Junior Lieutenant Valeriy Shyshak, saw that a soldier of the reserve group, Senior Private Andriy Volos, was seriously wounded. Without a doubt, the commander rushed to save his subordinate. This was exactly what the terrorist sniper expected. Valeriy Shyshak was mortally wounded by the sniper's insidious shot. Without receiving medical assistance, Senior Private Andriy Volos later died from his serious injuries.

He was buried in the cemetery of the city of Severodonetsk, Luhansk region.

By Decree of the President of Ukraine No. 316/2018 of October 11, 2018, "for personal courage and selfless actions shown in protecting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," he was awarded the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, III degree (posthumously).

He is survived by his wife, son and daughter.