Ihor Lapin was born on 28 May 1969 in
Ivanychi,
Volyn Oblast, Ukraine. In 1986, he graduated from high school number 1 in Kovel. In the same year, he entered the historical faculty of the Lutsk Pedagogical Institute. After a year of study, he went to serve in the army. From 1988 to 1992 he studied at the Kurgan higher military-political aviation school (KVVPAU), officer with higher military specialty "social teacher". He graduated with honours. He swore an oath to the people of Ukraine in 1992. From 1992 to 1996, he served in the aerodrome operation company of the Lutsk Air Base (military unit 42198). He was the company's deputy commander and was promoted to senior lieutenant. He was released to a reserve unit for health reasons. From 1993 to 1997 he studied law at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. From 1997 to 2014, he worked as a lawyer for the Volyn Regional Bar Association, and was a member of the Bar Qualification-Disciplinary Commission of the Volyn Region. Starting in December 2013, he participated in Euromaidan. In June 2014, he voluntarily joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In 2017, he was awarded the military rank of Captain. In 2019, he was a co-coordinator of the Movement of Resistance to Capitulation (ROK). In March 2022, Ihor Lapin was appointed as the commander of a Special Forces Battalion in the
First Separate Special Purpose Brigade, named after Ivan Bohun. That year, he was awarded the military rank of Major.
Russo-Ukrainian War From June 2014, he took part in the Anti Terrorist operation (
ATO), and was elected as the commander of the 2nd assault squadron "West" of the 24th Battalion of Territorial Defense "
Aidar" (military unit PP V 0624), which is subordinated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He had the pseudonym "Zola", and because of that, his assault squadron was called "zolushky". During the ATO, he was distinguished as a professional and responsible commander. Under his command, eight settlements were liberated in Luhansk Region, particularly Shchastia, Georgievka, Lutugino, Uspenska, Novosvitlivka and Khryaschuvate, and other strategically important objects. "Zola's" assault unit took part in the liberation of Krasny Yar. During the liberation of Vergunsky Rozizd near Luhansk they killed members of the
"Batman" group. The liberation of Georgiivka under Lapin's command was marked as a breakthrough in the blockade of the
Luhansk Airport. After the
2014 Ukrainian parliamentary election, the People's deputy of Ukraine Ihor Lapin went to the zone of the ATO to help soldiers, shoving and teaching them skills and experience of conducting military operations. Captain Ihor Lapin was back on the frontlines of the war since the outset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, participating in combat operations near Hostomel Airport and Irpin, Kyiv region. Also, Lapin and ROK’s coordinators formed the "Free Ukraine" volunteer battalion, which played a critical role in the defence of Kyiv. In March 2022, Ihor Lapin was appointed as the commander of a Special Forces Battalion of the First Separate Special Forces Brigade, named after Ivan Bohun. In recognition of his outstanding service and dedication to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ihor Lapin was awarded the military rank of Major on May 6, 2022. The Special Forces Battalion, under the leadership of Major Ihor Lapin, played a critical role in combat operations in eastern Ukraine. They were instrumental in defending the city of Popasna and several settlements, including Troitskoye, Roty, Vozdvizhenka, and Krinichnoye near the city of Bakhmut. Major Ihor Lapin suffered a severe injury during combat in the fall of 2022 and was subsequently dismissed from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. == Public and political activity ==