Volodia was born into a Ukrainian Orthodox family in Ternopil, western Ukraine. He heard the Gospel through the witness of a newly converted friend, when he was nineteen, and began reading the Bible so he could disprove its truth. God spoke to him through his Word, and Volodia became a Christian. He completed his training as a mechanical engineer, then studied theology in Budapest. Hearing about EMF, he joined EMF’s School of Biblical Studies in the UK.

Volodia married Oksana in the autumn of 2003. They have two sons, Zechariah, who has severe health problems and Oleksii.

Ternopil has a population of around 215,000. Many people belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox or Eastern Catholic church; there is little biblical Christianity. When Volodia returned to the Ukraine in 2000, he took pastoral charge of the newly formed Druzhba Baptist church. Church life is encouraging. The Lord has prospered the work and added to numbers. Volodia’s wider ministry includes teaching in the Ternopil Biblical Seminary and at a mission school, aiming to equip Christians in the Islamic world. 

In 2011, the church built its own building on the outskirts of Ternopil. The fellowship then changed its name to Grace Church, calling its building the House of Grace. As well as being a place for worship, the building is well used for ministry to children with disabilities and their families. It also provides a home for Volodia and his family, who live in an adjacent bungalow.