Zozulya Yuriy – businessman, philanthropist, public figure, president of the wakeboarding federation and officer. CV and biography.

Yuriy Andriyovych Zozulya – businessman, philanthropist, public figure, president of the wakeboarding federation and officer. CV and biography.

Yuriy Andriyovych Zozulya

CV and Biography

Born on May 1, 1970, in Kyiv.

Businessman, philanthropist, public figure, president of the wakeboarding federation, and officer.

Passport No. 002547727, valid until November 14, 2028.

ID Code: 2568803556

1977-1987 - Secondary education (attended 7 schools of the Soviet Ministry of Defense)

1987-1992 - Cadet at the Higher Military Aviation Engineering School, Faculty of Radio-Electronic Equipment. Graduated with honors, red diploma.

1992-1994 - Officer in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, adjunct at the Department of Optoelectronic Systems and Computing Complexes, Faculty of Aviation Radio-Electronic Equipment.

1993-1996 - Radio-electronic equipment engineer at the company “Dnipro.”

1996-1997 - Commercial Director at “Security Systems.”

1997-2010 - Director of the Commercial and Technical Center “Security Systems.”

1997-2020 - Founder and Chief Editor of the specialized magazine “F+S” (Fire + Security: Fire Protection and Security). (Until 2000, known as “Security Systems.”)

2001 - Present - Founder of the Consortium "Security Systems" group of companies.

2002 - Present - Vice President of the kite wake club "Extreme Pull."

2003 - Present - Founder and investor in the X-Park sports and entertainment complex.

2005 - 2016 - Board Member of the International Fire Safety Union .

2006-2007 - Trained under the EU SIDA program for building situational centers and the 112 emergency system in Sweden. Company SOS Alarm 112.

2005 - Present - President of the National Ukrainian Wakeboarding and Waterski Federation.

2007-2008 - Member of the working group at the Ministry of Emergencies for the creation of the 112 Emergency System. Consultant to the Minister of Emergencies on the development of the 112 System.

2004 - Organized the first nationwide wakeboarding competition in Ukraine.

2007 - Launched the first obstacle cable park in Ukraine, Rixen.

2008 - Launched the first linear cable park in Ukraine, Sesitec.

2008 - Hosted the World Series WWA Wakeboarding Championship

2009 - Launched the first linear cable park X-traction in Ukraine.

2008 - Hosted the World Wakeboard Association (WWA) World Series Wakeboarding Championship.

2013 - Organized the FreeGames sports and music festival in Kyiv.

2014 - Launched the first X-traction circular cable park in X-Park.

2007-2010 - IT Consultant at the Department of Informatization and Communications, Ministry of Emergencies.

2008 - Present - Board Member of the Ukrainian Federation of Security Industry.

2008 - Co-founder of the Consortium of National Innovations (CNI).

2009 - Established the “Zozulya’s Nest” recreational complex.

2009 - Present - Founder and owner of the Kyiv-based wakeboard cable park factory, Xtraction.

2010 - Present - Coordinator of the working group at the Ministry of Emergencies for the creation of the 112 Emergency System.

2010 - Present - Presidium Member of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine, Head of the Commission for the Development of Infrastructure for Non-Olympic Sports.

2012 - Present - Co-founder of the FreeGen sports community.

2012 - Present - Founded the winter swimming club “Penguins.”

2012 - Present - Co-founder of the FunUp flash mob movement.

2013 - Launched the campaign “Gendeliks (a colloquial slang word. It is a small bar that sells alcoholic beverages and snacks), Let’s Say Goodbye” for demolishing illegal bars in the Desnianskyi District.

2013-2014 - Activist and coordinator of the AutoMaidan movement during the Revolution of Dignity.

2014 – 2016 - Commander of the AutoMaidan Battalion.

2014 - Co-author of the Memorial Alley of Canadian Maples “Free Generation - AutoMaidan” in the Friendship of Peoples Park.

2014 - Initiator and member of the Kyiv Smart City working group.

2014 - Founder and owner of the FreeGen surf café in Kyiv.

2015 - Present - Deputy Head of the Public Organization AutoMaidan.

2015 - Donated computer and communication equipment from his companies to air brigades.

2015 - Philanthropist and creator of the "GEEK" sculpture representing the innovative generation in Kyiv.

2016 - Established the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DICT) at the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA).

2014-2016 - Developed and approved the “Electronic Capital” and “Safe Capital” programs as part of the Kyiv Smart City project.

2016 - Founder of the Wood Art Fest Kyiv, featuring the “Alley of Wooden Sculptures of Heroes and Epic Figures” in Friendship of Peoples Park in Kyiv.

2017 - Philanthropist and creator of the surfing god Tiki sculpture in Kyiv.

2017 - Coordinator of the Google working group for Kyiv Smart City.

2017-2019 - Initiator and ideologist of the development of the Kyiv Smart City app (now Kyiv Digital).

2018 - Founder and investor in the Mixsport.pro project for digitizing Ukrainian sports.

2018 - Founder and investor in the Kyivmaps.com project, an internet platform for event digitization.

2018 - Developed the concept for strike drones.

2018 - Initiated the installation of the Ilya Muromets sculpture and the renaming of Friendship of Peoples to Park to Muromets Park.

2019 - Launched TikiBar lounge bar.

2019 - Established the innovative rehabilitation center for wounded soldiers, Base 4.5.0 (video, presentation).

2020 - Launched the FreeGen GO gamification platform.

2020 - Developed the digital voting software product.

2021 - Advisor to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on information and digital technologies and events.

24.02.2023 - The beginning of a full-scale War in Ukraine

February 2022 - Joined the Defense Forces of the Desnianskyi District.

February 2022 - Issued a statement from the Ukrainian Wakeboarding Federation to global riders regarding the Russian invasion.

April 2022 - Developed the fortification of the Northern Bridge area.

April 2022 - Launched the "War Up Close" project, documenting ruins and occupier crimes with 360-degree panoramas. (2022-2023: Virtual exhibition tour in Europe, the USA, and Australia.)

Creator of the virtual tour project Touch Ukraine.
Responsible for creating the DroneDome of Kyiv “Muromets” (appointed by Mayor Klitschko).
Secured 2nd place in the World Wakeboarding Championship in London.
Disrupted a pro-Russian demonstration in Berlin, set up a pro-Ukrainian exhibition near the Reichstag (link here).
Developed a virtual exhibition of Victory Weapons and destroyed enemy equipment (video and description here).
Set up virtual exhibitions "War Up Close" and "Victory Weapons, Destroyed Equipment" in the Desnianskyi District ([video and description here]).
Established the innovative rehabilitation center “Base 4.5.0.”
Created an aviation simulator class for pilots and injured individuals at AvatarCenter Pandora (video, description).
Founder of the Defense Innovation Technologies Fund, Free Generation (link here), Chairman of the Expert and Technical Council (fund website).
Co-organizer of the National Defense Hackathon of Ukraine.

April 2022 - Creator and philanthropist of the Memorial Alley “Iron Eggs” (for defenders of the city during the siege of Kyiv in winter, spring, and summer 2022).

August 2022 - Founded and authored a video blog for protecting entrepreneurs and investors, “10 Circles of Hell for Investors in Ukraine,” co-author of a Telegram channel.

2022 - Co-founder of the “On the Shield” heroes burial project.

2022-2023 - Founder of the Drone Polygon Muromets.

September 2022 - Founded the Military Engineering Scientific Community. Sigma FreeGen Omega, composed of former military scientists researching advanced defense technologies.

2023 - Established the Drone Center Muromets (schools, unit).

2023 - Founder of the Defense Innovation Hub.

July 2023 - World Wakeboarding Champion in London.

July 2023 - Joined the Manifest42 protest movement to protect entrepreneurs from the abuse of rear-line security forces.

August 2023 - Introduced an adaptive version of wakeboarding to the UWF Federation.

May 2024 - Donated a fully operational F-16 simulator to the Air Force without using any state funds.

May 2024 - Speaker at veteran and business community congresses, author of the initiative “51% for the Wounded.”

May 2024 - Launched projects “Valor of the Unbroken: Comradeship Competitions and Active Weekends for the Wounded.”

May 2024 - Launched the “Family Weekend: Muromets Children's Camp for the Families of Defenders, the Wounded, Veterans, and Families of the Fallen.”

August 2024 - Founded the “Bench of Honor” project to install benches dedicated to fallen heroes—athletes and workers of X-Park.

Hobbies:

Wakeboarding, snowboarding, kitesurfing, surfing, foiling, winter swimming, blogging, video blogging, guitar playing, traveling, video production, and more.

Achievements and Awards:

Leadership: Headed a group of companies with 2,400 employees.
Snowboarding: Competed and won awards in snowboarding.
Wakeboarding:

13-time Ukrainian Champion in various categories of cable and boat wakeboarding.
World Wakeboarding Championship 2011: 3rd place, Abu Dhabi.
World Wakeboarding Championship 2022: 2nd place, London.
World Wakeboarding Championship 2023: 1st place, London.
Master of Sport title.

2009 - Certificate from the Fire Department.
July 2012 - Medal of Honor from Kyiv City State Administration (awarded by Popov O.).
2013-2022 - Six certificates of honor from the mayors of Kyiv.
2021 - National Hero of Ukraine.
Various Military Recognitions:

Commendations from military aviation brigades.
Coin of Honor from the Omega Special Forces unit, awarded by Major General Pavel Yatsuk (August 2022).
Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Medal “For Assistance to the Armed Forces” (October 2022).
Kyiv Administration Medal “Honor. Glory. State” (February 2023).
Medal “For Assistance to the Military” N 341 from Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Valerii Zaluzhnyi (February 22, 2023).
Medal “Defender of Ukraine” N 1167 from Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov (September 1, 2023).
Badge “For Assistance in Defending Kyiv” N 1189 (December 6, 2023).

Additional Commendations:

Thank you letter from the Head of the Kyiv Military Lyceum named after Ivan Bohun, Major General Hordiichuk I. (September 25, 2003).
Appreciation for establishing the “Base 4.5.0” rehabilitation center.
Appreciation from the Central Command of Tactical Operations “White Wolf” (February 2, 2024).
SBU Token (June 18, 2024).
Appreciation from the Ukrainian Navy (July 15, 2024).
Air Force Token.

Link to awards and recognitions if available