Filimonov Serhiy Fedorovych

Legendary Commander of the "Da Vinci Wolves", Public Leader and Actor

Serhiy Filimonov (call sign "Filya") is a Ukrainian military officer, Major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, commander of the 108th Separate Assault Battalion "Da Vinci Wolves" (part of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade). He was born on September 20, 1994, in Kyiv. His military career began in 2014 as a volunteer; he participated in battles for Mariupol, Ilovaisk, and Maryinka. In civilian life, he was known as the leader of the youth public movement "Honor" and an active participant in protest actions defending civil rights. In 2021, he played the leading role in the acclaimed film by director Oleh Sentsov, "Rhino," for which he received the "Best Male Role" award at several international film festivals. At the onset of the full-scale invasion, he created the combat unit "Honor," which later became part of the "Da Vinci Wolves," and in February 2024, after the death of the founder Dmytro Kotsyubailo, Filimonov officially took command of this renowned battalion.

Despite his undisputed authority on the front, Serhiy Filimonov's activities and outspoken public statements have repeatedly been at the center of high-profile incidents

In July 2026, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, officially held Major Filimonov disciplinarily accountable by issuing him a reprimand. The General Staff of the Armed Forces explained that an official investigation had revealed violations of the Disciplinary Code by the commander due to an incident in Dnipropetrovsk region, where three soldiers of his battalion engaged in a shooting near a store and brutally beat and kidnapped a 20-year-old man.

The scandal erupted amid military protests following the resignation of Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, when former soldiers associated with the battalion actively criticized military leadership and called on civilians to participate in demonstrations.