Viktor Perehrest, a finalist of the fourth season of the culinary show MasterChef who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine after the full-scale invasion began, has rescued a wounded soldier on the front lines. This was reported by the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while the details of the story were revealed by the Styler project from RBC-Ukraine. According to the agency's official Facebook page, the soldier with the call sign "Palto" (Coat) was at his position when he saw the enemy strike a group of Ukrainian defenders moving toward his location. Risking his own life, Perehrest reached the wounded and provided medical assistance to a fighter with the call sign "Amati," after which he found a shelter where they waited out the danger from enemy drones until the right moment for evacuation.
Injury Did Not Stop Him: Water for a Comrade the Next Morning
However, during the rescue operation, Perehrest himself was wounded. Despite this, the next morning he once again made his way to where "Amati" was located to bring water to the wounded man. Ultimately, thanks to Viktor's efforts, the wounded soldier was evacuated from the combat zone. Along with them, two other servicemen who had also sustained injuries were successfully led out of the dangerous sector. The journey, spanning more than 10 kilometers, took two days, but all four defenders managed to stay alive. "Character smiles upon the prepared," Perehrest himself commented on the incident. Currently, both Viktor and the soldier with the call sign "Amati" are undergoing treatment for their injuries.
From a Hostel to the MasterChef Final: The Path to the Camera
Viktor Perehrest was born and raised in Kyiv. His mother raised him and his brother alone, working as a street cleaner so the family could afford a room in a hostel. As the eldest son, Viktor took on household chores early and often helped his mother. By training, he is a third-category cook, and in his youth, he also learned the trade of a shoemaker. He came to the fourth season of MasterChef in 2014 with the goal of changing his life and helping his family. Thanks to his sincerity, openness, sense of humor, and hard work, he quickly became a viewers' favorite and reached the final. Later, in 2022, Perehrest also participated in the project MasterChef. Battle of the Seasons.
Chef, Volunteer, and Soldier
After finishing his participation in the show, Viktor began working in well-known Kyiv establishments. Striving to improve the nutrition of young people, he worked for several seasons as a head chef at a children's scout camp. He actively participated in various volunteer and charitable initiatives. Despite having no military experience prior to 2022, after the full-scale invasion began, Perehrest joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. By October 2026, he has been serving in the Armed Forces for over four years, as confirmed by the NV.ua publication in its material about his feat.
Confirmation from Official Sources
The story of rescuing his fellow soldier was published on the official Facebook page of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, giving the account the status of being confirmed by a departmental source. Two independent publications — Styler (RBC-Ukraine) and NV.ua — reported the details of the episode with a unified version of events, finding no discrepancies in key facts: the number of evacuees, the length of the journey, and the chronology of events. Both sources agree that all four servicemen survived and that Perehrest acted while already wounded.
