[1][2] He gained prominence during the Russo-Ukrainian War, particularly due to his leadership in managing the defense and security of Sumy Oblast, which lies on Ukraine's northeastern border with Russia.

[citation needed] Artyukh was born on May 8, 1958, in Blagoveshchensk, Amur Oblast which was under the Russian SFSR at that time, later in his life he graduated from the Kharkov Higher Military Aviation Command School of Communications in 1979, the Gagarin Air Force Academy in 1988 and National Defence University of Ukraine in 2005.

[3] In 2020, Artiukh ran for the Vinnytsia City Council from the "Ukrainian Party of Honor, Fight against Corruption and Organized Crime", but did not win the election.

[3] In July and August 2024, Artyukh ordered the evacuation of Ukrainian territories bordering Russia's Kursk Oblast.

[5] The move marked one of the largest and most notable incursions by Ukrainian forces into Russian territory since the start of the war.