Vitruk was born July 7, 1902, in Andrushki near Zhytomir, then in Russian Empire, to a Ukrainian peasant family.

As a pilot of fighter-bombers he took part in the Khalkhin-Gol battles against Japan and in the German and Soviet Invasion of Poland in 1939.

However, for his superb command of the regiment on February 24, 1942, he was awarded with the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

On that post he commanded his unit during the battles of Voronezh, Kiev, Târgul Frumos and the Iassy-Chisinau operation.

Later on he took part in the battles leading to the Soviet capture of Ploiești, Bucharest and Craiova in Romania, as well as Belgrade in Yugoslavia and Székesfehérvár in Hungary.