Yurii Zbanatskyi – 20th-century Ukrainian writer, author of war-adventure novels such as “Forest Beauty” and “The Sea Gull,” recipient of the Shevchenko Prize. A WWII partisan commander, his prose reflects the drama of war, the heroism of resistance, and the challenges of post-war life.
⚔ In 1941, he escaped encirclement and formed a partisan detachment. 📖 His novel “Forest Beauty” is based directly on his wartime experiences. 🏆 Won the Shevchenko Prize in 1980 for “The Sea Gull.” 🌍 Served as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR. 🖋 Blended documentary precision with adventure storytelling. 📚 Frequently spoke at schools and army units as a living witness of the war. 😮 Odd fact: held the military rank of Major General – rare for a writer. 😂 Funny: fellow authors joked he “wrote with a marching step” because of his disciplined prose.