Vitaly, the eldest son (born 1975) after graduating the airborne school in the mid-1990s, was assigned to serve with 106th Guards Airborne Division, spent his tour of duty in Chechnya, engaging in the First Russo-Chechen Conflict, and is serving until now at the rank of Lt. Colonel, as the Chief-of-staff with 242nd Airborne Training Center, Omsk.