Ihor Hordiichuk was born on November 12, 1972, in village Zaliznitsa Koretskii district Rivne region. He graduated from Kyiv institute of Land Forces with distinguished diploma, National Defence Academy of Ukraine and US Army College. He speaks fluently English, German and Polish.

He began serve as a commander of mechanized platoon, but a true his vocation was the Special Forces. Displayed his will and persistence, Ihor Hordiichuk was appointed in military unit of Special Forces, he was a deputy commander of separate brigade of Special Forces, and than – a commander of 8th separate regiment of Special Forces (established on the basis of brigade) – one of the best units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served in international contingent in Republic of Afghanistan. He was a First Deputy of the Chief of Army Academy named after hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi, served in General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and in the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

Colonel Ihor Hordiichuk took part in many operations during the holding of counterterrorist operations; headed the detachments of Special Forces performing tasks on deep reconnaissance far from front line.

On August 12, 2014, the scouts of Colonel Hordiichuk broke through Savur-Mohyla, deployed surveillance system and began correction of artillery fire. Performing reconnaissance was so effective and caused such losses to terrorists that for annihilation of Ukrainian scouts the enemy employed artillery and armored vehicles. Under the intensive artillery fire of enemy, Ihor Volodymyrovych was repeatedly contused however continued to command. After the rotation of his group, he voluntarily remained at Savur-Mohyla to perform reconnaissance.

At the end of August 2014, after large-scale invasion of Russian regular troops into the territory of Ukraine, our troops were forced to retreat. Under fierce assaults of Russian troops and mercenaries, Colonel Hordiichuk’s unit was being in encirclement of enemy’s troops continued to hold Savur-Mohyla yet for one week, having caused the deadly losses to the invaders.

According to the command’s order, scouts broke out of the encirclement, having passed through the enemy’s rear about 60 kilometers and joined to the surrounded grouping of Ukrainian troops near Mnohopillia.

Group of Colonel Hordiichuk together with the combat sworn brothers began to penetrate. Having come under the massive enemy’s fire, Ihor Hordiichuk was seriously wounded.

Since the 1st September 2014, Colonel Hordiichuk has been being in resuscitation of neurosurgery department, he underwent some operations, his state remains difficult.

One of friends of Ihor Hordiichuk, authoritative officer of Special Forces said: “It’s hard to find the words to assess properly the deed of Hordiichuk and his group. Ihor was well aware that it was one-way ticket. The chances not to return from this mission were much more than to survive. There was deadly dangerous. However, he as a military man understood the key meaning of Savur-Mohyla and knew that it was necessary to fulfill this order”.