Fedir Shandor, dressed in army fatigues and holding his assault rifle in his lap, lectured students shortly after returning from combat duty. His picture has since gone viral on the internet.

A Ukrainian soldier fighting Russia’s offensive in the country’s east found some time this week to return to his regular job.

Fedir Shandor, a professor at Uzhhorod National University, is shown in full army fatigues with an assault rifle on his lap giving his pupils a lesson on the seemingly incongruous subject of tourism, according to a photo that surfaced on social media on Friday.

“Well, lectures to students are sacred,” the university stated in a statement, adding that the professor enlisted on the first day of the conflict.

“If there are shelling sounds somewhere in the background, they have no effect on the lecture,” Shandor stated in a statement from the institution.

“It sounds like a tractor is approaching.” I always give talks close to the dugout. There was a shelling just now, so I went to the trench and finished my lecture.”

He has lectures every Monday and Tuesday at 8 a.m. and claims to have never missed one. His commanding officers agreed that he may rotate on combat duty overnight so that he could attend morning online classes.

Shandor’s photo is one of many examples of how ordinary men and women are helping Ukraine’s war effort, including many professionals who have given up their jobs and occupations to participate in military manoeuvres and live fighting.