Born on December 21, 1968 in the village of Klevan, Rivne district, Rivne region. There, in 1986, he graduated from secondary school No. 1. After graduating from school, he studied at the Klevan vocational school and received a specialty as a gas welder and gas cutter.
After completing his studies, he worked for over 20 years in his acquired profession at an enterprise in the village of Klevan, which was related to the operation and repair of agricultural machinery: the district association "Agricultural Machinery", and later at LLC "Agroremmash Service".
As his friends recall: "Mykola was a sociable, honest, responsible, and kind person. He loved fishing very much, and therefore devoted a lot of time to his favorite pastime. And even more, he loved reading. In the village, he was an Honorary Reader.".
He served his military service in the Navy. He was drafted by the Rivne Military District in December 1986 and sent to the 7th training detachment of the naval forces in the city of Sevastopol. After his graduation from April 1987 to November 1989, he served his military service as part of a border patrol surface ship of the «Corvette» type, and later on a submarine. During his military service, he was awarded the «Guard» and «Excellent Navy» breastplates. By order of the Commander of the Black Sea Fleet No. 059 dated 02.10.1989, he was awarded the «For a Long Campaign» badge. He graduated from military service as a 1st class specialist.
After completing his military service, he returned to his native village, where he continued to work. On December 19, 2022, he was called up for mobilization by the Rivne RTCC and the Joint Service of the Rivne region. He served as part of a mortar battery of the mechanized battalion of the 42nd separate mechanized brigade named after Hero of Ukraine Valeriy Hudzys as the senior mortar gunner of a mortar platoon.
In less than three years of war, Mykola passed all the hot spots of Donbas: 2023 - Luhansk region, defensive battles in the Kremin district of Luhansk region, offensive operations in the Serebryansk forestry. Starting from the fall of 2023, the brigade was transferred to the Donetsk region, to the Bakhmut direction, where it began to perform combat missions on the outskirts of Bakhmut, in the Khromovoye and Bohdanivka areas. Later, the brigade units went to the defense in the Chasiv Yar direction.
Since March 2024, the brigade has received a new combat mission, which was to repel offensive actions and destroy the enemy in the Kharkiv direction, in particular in the settlements of Vovchansk, Lypki, and Starytsia.
While in the Volchansky direction, the unit where Mykola served was located in the village of Zarozhne. Here he found his love. He married Lyubov Vasylivna. His wife has two sons and two daughters, who, despite the fact that Mykola is not their biological father, loved and respected him. His wife's younger son, Oleksiy, even expressed a desire to continue the war next to Mykola, in the same unit. His wife's older son is also currently at war.
During the fighting, Mykola was wounded three times, the last one was fatal. He received his first wound in defensive battles in the Chasiv Yar direction. After long-term treatment, first in the settlement of Blyznyuky, Lozov district, and then in the city of Karlivka, Poltava region, Mykola returned to the unit and continued to perform combat missions. On 12/31/2024 (on the eve of the new year 2025), the unit was returning from combat positions. The enemy attacked their car with a drone - as a result, Mykola received a second serious wound and was treated at the V.T. Zaitsev Institute of General and Emergency Surgery. After treatment, he returned to the ranks again to defend his native land together with his brothers.
Circumstances of death:
In October-November 2025, operating in the defense zone of the 9th Army Corps of the Group of Forces "East", units of the 42nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Hero of Ukraine Valery Gudzya, with adjacent units, promptly applied the necessary measures to destroy the enemy, who was trying to make constant assault attempts. The unit where Mykola Busel served directly participated in the defense of the village of Horikhove, Pokrovsky district, Donetsk region. On November 12, 2025, after working out in combat positions near the settlement of Horikhove, Pokrovsky district, Donetsk region, the mortar crew where Mykola Busel served was preparing for the next exit to the combat position. At about 13:00, the enemy attacked the location of the mortar crew with a kamikaze combat drone. During this attack, Mykola and another of his comrades received explosive and shrapnel injuries incompatible with life.
On November 21, 2025, in the village of Zarozhne, Chuhuyiv urban community, they paid tribute and accompanied the fallen soldier on his last journey. Mykola Busel was buried in the cemetery of the village of Zarozhne, in his wife's small homeland, next to his mother-in-law.
The deceased Hero is survived by his wife, his wife's four children, and seven grandchildren.
During the combat mission, for the conscientious performance of official duties, courage and heroism shown, Mykola was repeatedly encouraged with brigade awards, two of which were for the destruction of a tank and lightly armored vehicles. In December 2024, he was awarded the Gratitude of the Kharkiv Mayor for high professionalism, courage, bravery and dedication.
