Dmytro Kotsiubailo

Dmytro Kotsiubailo (Ukrainian: Дмитро Іванович Коцюбайло, nickname Da Vinci (Ukrainian: Да Вінчі); 1 November 1995 – 7 March 2023) was a Ukrainian volunteer, soldier, junior lieutenant, a commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a participant in the Russo-Ukrainian War. Kotsiubailo was the youngest battalion commander in the history of the Ukrainian Army. He served as a leader of the right-wing Right Sector movement.[1][2]

Dmytro Kotsiubailo
Native name
Дмитро Іванович Коцюбайло
Birth nameDmytro Ivanovych Kotsiubailo
Nickname(s)Da Vinci
Born(1995-11-01)1 November 1995
Zadnistrianske, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine
Died7 March 2023(2023-03-07) (aged 27)
Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
AllegianceUkrainian Armed Forces
Commands held1st Mechanized Battalion
Battles/warsRusso-Ukrainian War
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
AwardsHero of Ukraine

In December 2021 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Kotsiubailo the Hero of Ukraine Ukraine decoration, the country's highest honour.[3] In 2022, he was included in the 30 under 30: Faces of the Future rating by Forbes.[4]

Early life

Dmytro Kotsiubailo was born on 1 November 1995 in the village of Zadnistrianske, now Burshtyn community, Ivano-Frankivsk Raion, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine. He graduated from Bovshivka Secondary School and Ivano-Frankivsk Art Lyceum.

He was an active participant of the Revolution of Dignity. Participant of the Russo-Ukrainian War, in particular, a platoon commander of volunteers (2014) and a company (2015). In 2014, he was wounded in Pisky, Donetsk Oblast, and returned to the front after recovery. On 17 March 2016, he had served as a captain of an ultra-nationalist volunteer battalion known as the “Right Sector" and led the 1st Mechanized Battalion "Da Vinci Wolves", but never joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.[5]

Death

On 7 March 2023, Kotsiubailo was killed. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his video address: "Today, 'Da Vinci', a Hero of Ukraine, a volunteer, a man-symbol, a man of courage, Dmytro Kotsiubailo, was killed in action. A fighter of the 67th separate mechanized brigade, a commander. He died in the battle near Bakhmut, in the battle for Ukraine".[6]

Awards
  • Order of the People's Hero of Ukraine (2017).[8]

References
  1. "Zelenskiy leads tributes to revered Ukrainian fighter killed in Bakhmut". Reuters. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. "Death of Ukrainian commander 'Da Vinci' gives Russia a propaganda win". The Independent. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. Герой України доброволець «Да Вінчі» вперше зустрічає Новий рік не на фронті Archived 15 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine // TSN.ua, 31 December 2021
  4. "30 до 30: обличчя майбутнього". forbes.ua. Forbes.
  5. Bushard, Brian. "'Hero Of Ukraine' Dies In Battle As Russian Advance Continues". Forbes. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  6. "На Донбасі загинув Герой України, легендарний доброволець Дмитро Коцюбайло (Да Вінчі), - Зеленський."ВIДЕО". censor.net (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  7. Decree of the President of Ukraine from 30 November 2021 year № 608/2021 «Про присвоєння Д.Коцюбайлу звання Герой України» (in Ukrainian)
  8. Дмитро Коцюбайло став новим Героєм України on YouTube // TSN.ua. — 2021. — 1 December.
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