Victor, a math teacher and ethnic Hungarian, defends Ukraine with weapon in hand

Viktor Troshki’s parents have spoken Hungarian and Ukrainian with him since childhood. He does the same with his sons — 3-year-old Davyd and 1-year-old Daniel. After graduating from a PhD program in Kyiv, he returned to Uzhhorod to teach at the university. Viktor did not qualify for mobilization, but he decided to defend Ukraine with weapons anyway. His knowledge in mathematics came in handy — he joined the artillery.

At the front, the man learned that the Academy of Sciences of Hungary had awarded him with an honorary Arany János order “for his significant contribution to the development of science.” But whether he would be able to go to Hungary in May and receive the award did not really interest him.

“My grandfather was repressed and sent to Donbas just for being Hungarian. Years later, he was rehabilitated. My grandmother had already died when the war started, but I remembered all her stories very clearly. I decided to do everything possible to prevent such horror from coming to Zakarpattia and Ukraine again.”