Vitaly "Zhuzh" Plaksin is a fan of the "Metalurg" football club (Zaporizhia), a representative of the old school of the fan movement.

Vitaly Anatoliyovych Plaksin was born on February 2, 1982 in the village of Shelyugy (Zaporizhia Region). He was fond of football from an early age, and carried this passion throughout his life. He became a student at the Zaporizhzhia National University, where he studied at the "Olympic and Professional Sports" faculty and received a football coaching diploma.

In addition to active participation in the "Metalurga" fan movement, he was a player of several city futsal and mini-football teams. When the full-scale Russian invasion of the territory of Ukraine began, Vitaly voluntarily went to defend his native land. In the 503rd marine infantry brigade, he was the main gunner of grenade launchers and had the call sign "Hardcore".

Vitaly Plaksin died on August 20, 2022 near the village of Pisky (Donetsk region), as a result of an enemy tank shell hitting his dugout. - "A very hard-working and reliable person. He liked to travel in Ukraine. He lived by football. He never complained. He was the best friend and husband. He volunteered from the first days of the war. He believed in victory," the fallen Warrior's wife will tell journalists.

Together with Vitaliy's relatives and friends, the entire football and fan community of the city suffered an irreparable loss. Friends remember that "Zhuzh" was a participant in many fan tournaments, and also came to his parents every year to pick cherries, for which the Zaporizhzhia region is famous. Unfortunately, Vitaly's parental home is still under temporary occupation. The family of the deceased believes that the Ukrainian lands will be liberated soon. The wife and son know that the sacrifice of a loving husband and father was not in vain.