Vasily Virastyuk
sportsman, people's deputy
Vasily Yaroslavovich Virastyuk is a Ukrainian sportsman, winner of the title "The Strongest Man of Ukraine" (from 2000 to 2003, and also in 2005), "The Strongest Man of the World" (2004). In 2021 he won the post-election to the Verkhovna Rada in constituency #87.
Short biography
Vasyl Virastyuk was born on April 22, 1974 in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk.
He studied at the local school, then graduated from the Technical School of Physical Education in Kyiv.
He took up track and field athletics in 1984, then was a member of Ukraine national track and field team.
From 1992 to 1994, he served in the Army.
After military service, he worked as athletics coach at the "Ukraine" sports society.
In 1995 he became a Master of Sports, and in 1998, a Master of Sports International Class.
In 2000, he moved to Lviv, where he worked as a driver and security guard in "Galnaftogaz" concern.
In 2003, he took third place at the world championship of strongmen, which took place in Zambia.
In 2004 he won the world championship and was named "The World's Strongest Man.
In 2007, during the competitions in South Korea, won the title of World Champion in Strong Extreme IFSA.
By-elections to the Rada
On February 11, 2021 it was announced at the party congress "Servant of People" that Virastyuk will become a candidate for deputy of Ukraine at the interim elections in district #87, which will be held in Ivano-Frankivsk region.
He was invited into politics by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky personally.
Despite the series of scandals that surrounded the elections in the district, the CEC recognized the elections as valid. Virastyuk won with a result of 31.25 percent.
However, on May 2, 2021 it became known that the Supreme Court declared illegal and cancelled the CEC protocol, which established the victory of Virastyuk.
On May 14, the CEC still recognized Virastyuk as an elected MP by accepting a new protocol.
However, on 24 May it became known that the Supreme Court again cancelled the CEC protocol on the establishment of election results in constituency 87, as well as the recognition of Virastyuk as an elected deputy of the party "Servant of the People".
On June 9, the CEC still registered him as the winner of the election, and already on June 15, Virastyuk took the oath in the Verkhovna Rada.
Film work
Since 2009, Virastyuk also began acting in films and working on the voicing of characters in cartoons. Among his most famous works: "Ivan Sila", "Lonely by Contract", "The Adventures of S Nicholas", "Polina and the Mystery of the Film Studio", "Mikita Kozhemyaka" and others.
Family
Virastyuk has been married twice. The strongman's first wife Svetlana died during an avalanche at a ski resort in Turkey in 2006. With her, Virastyuk had a son, Adam.
In 2007, Virastyuk married for the second time. His new wife Inna later miraculously survived the accident. Now the couple is raising Virastyuk's son from his first marriage, as well as two children together, which were born in 2008 and 2016.
