Dmytro Kotsiubailo

Dmytro Kotsiubailo
Дмитро Коцюбайло
Dmytro Kotsiubailo; Дмитро Коцюбайло
Nickname(s)	Da Vinci
Born	1 November 1995; Zadnistrianske, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine
Died	7 March 2023 (aged 27); Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Allegiance	Ukrainian Armed Forces
Rank	Lieutenant
Commands	1st Mechanized Battalion
Battles/wars	Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Battle of Kyiv (2022); 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive; Battle of Bakhmut †; ; ;
Awards	; ;

Dmytro Ivanovych "Da Vinci" Kotsiubailo (Ukrainian: Дмитро Іванович "Да Вінчі" Коцюбайло; 1 November 1995 – 7 March 2023) was a Ukrainian volunteer, soldier, 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]

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.

Ukrainian resistance

He was an active participant in the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. He fought in the Russo-Ukrainian War, as a platoon commander of volunteers in 2014, and as a company commander in 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]^{[dubious – discuss]}

Death and legacy

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] Dmytro was buried at Askold's Grave.^[7]

On 20 December 2023 the Dnipro City Council renamed a part of Dnipro's central avenue Dmytro Kotsiubailo Avenue [uk; ru; de] in honor of Kotsiubailo.^[8]

On 18 January 2024 the Kyiv City Council renamed a square in Kyiv's Pecherskyi District in his honor.^[9]

On 20 May 2024 the Poltava city council renamed a street in its city in honour of Kotsiubailo.^[10]

Awards

The title of Hero of Ukraine with the Order of the Golden Star (30 November 2021) — for personal courage in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine;^[11]
Cross of Military Merit (9 March 2023, posthumously);^[12]
National Legend of Ukraine (23 August 2023, posthumously)^[13]
Order of the People's Hero of Ukraine (2017).^[14]

Military ranks

Lieutenant^[13]
Junior Lieutenant (2022)^[15]

References

^ "Zelenskiy leads tributes to revered Ukrainian fighter killed in Bakhmut". Reuters. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
^ "Death of Ukrainian commander 'Da Vinci' gives Russia a propaganda win". The Independent. 9 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
^ 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
^ "30 до 30: обличчя майбутнього". forbes.ua. 22 August 2022.
^ Bushard, Brian. "'Hero Of Ukraine' Dies In Battle As Russian Advance Continues". Forbes. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
^ "На Донбасі загинув Герой України, легендарний доброволець Дмитро Коцюбайло (Да Вінчі), - Зеленський."ВIДЕО". censor.net (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ "У Києві попрощалися з легендарним Героєм України "Да Вінчі": фото та відео з Майдану". 24 Канал (in Ukrainian). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
^ Stas Rudenko (20 December 2023). "A square in honor of Dmytro "Da Vinci" Kotsyubail appeared in Dnipro". dp.informator.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 December 2023.
^ "Mykhailo Horyn and Mykola Rudenko streets will appear in Kyiv". Istorychna Pravda (in Ukrainian). 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
^ "In Zaporizhzhia, a street was renamed in honor of teenage partisans who were killed by the occupiers in Berdyansk". Istorychna Pravda (in Ukrainian). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 30 November 2021 year № 608/2021 «Про присвоєння Д.Коцюбайлу звання Герой України» (in Ukrainian)
^ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 9 March 2023 year № 142/2023 «Про нагородження Д.Коцюбайла відзнакою Президента України "Хрест бойових заслуг"» (in Ukrainian)
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Decree of the President of Ukraine from 23 August 2023 year № 499/2023 «Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України «Національна легенда України»» (in Ukrainian)
^ Дмитро Коцюбайло став новим Героєм України on YouTube // TSN.ua. — 2021. — 1 December.
^ Волошин, Н. Герой України Дмитро Коцюбайло — легендарний "Да Вінчі", отримав первинне офіцерське звання «молодший лейтенант, АрміяInform, 23.08.2022.

[rightSector-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. 22 August 2022.

[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] "У Києві попрощалися з легендарним Героєм України "Да Вінчі": фото та відео з Майдану". 24 Канал (in Ukrainian). 10 March 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.

[kver-na-chest-dmitra-da-vinchi-8] Stas Rudenko (20 December 2023). "A square in honor of Dmytro "Da Vinci" Kotsyubail appeared in Dnipro". dp.informator.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 21 December 2023.

[9] "Mykhailo Horyn and Mykola Rudenko streets will appear in Kyiv". Istorychna Pravda (in Ukrainian). 18 January 2024. Retrieved 18 January 2024.

[10] "In Zaporizhzhia, a street was renamed in honor of teenage partisans who were killed by the occupiers in Berdyansk". Istorychna Pravda (in Ukrainian). 21 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.

[11] Decree of the President of Ukraine from 30 November 2021 year № 608/2021 «Про присвоєння Д.Коцюбайлу звання Герой України» (in Ukrainian)

[12] Decree of the President of Ukraine from 9 March 2023 year № 142/2023 «Про нагородження Д.Коцюбайла відзнакою Президента України "Хрест бойових заслуг"» (in Ukrainian)

[упу499/2023-13] Jump up to: ^a ^b Decree of the President of Ukraine from 23 August 2023 year № 499/2023 «Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України «Національна легенда України»» (in Ukrainian)

[14] Дмитро Коцюбайло став новим Героєм України on YouTube // TSN.ua. — 2021. — 1 December.

[15] Волошин, Н. Герой України Дмитро Коцюбайло — легендарний "Да Вінчі", отримав первинне офіцерське звання «молодший лейтенант, АрміяInform, 23.08.2022.

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