On the evening of March 7, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the tragic news that the legendary Ukrainian soldier Dmitry Kotsyubaylo died in the battles near Bakhmut. He is better known to Ukrainians as “Da Vinci”. The hero was only 27 years old.
Since 2014, Dmitry Kotsyubaylo has stood in defense of our country from Russian invaders. Read the biography of the legendary warrior in the material of Channel 24 .
Hard for sports and art: the life of Dmitry Kotsyubaylo before the war
Dmitry Kotsyubaylo was born on November 1, 1995 in the village of Zadnestryanskoye, Galitsky district, Ivano-Frankivsk region, in a large family – there were 5 of them. After studying at a comprehensive school, he entered an art lyceum. In his youth, Dmitry was fond of art, archeology, and sports.
Like all teenagers, Dmitry had plans and dreams, but then the Maidan began. The 18-year-old future Hero went to Kyiv. At first, he just wanted to look at the Maidan, they say, what is there and how, but then he felt that his place was there. After two weeks there, he returned home to take his exams, and then again to the Maidan in Kyiv.
In later interviews, Dmitry Kotsyubaylo recalled an episode that made him smile. At the age of 16, during the passage of the military medical commission, he asked his mother to do at least something so that he would not be taken into the army, because none of his comrades then planned to serve in the military.
Instead of studying – the front
After the Revolution of Dignity, Russia occupied Crimea and launched an invasion of Donbass. Dmitry decided to quit his studies and leave to defend Ukraine. Together with other volunteers, he was first sent to the Desna training center, and from there to the Donetsk region. 18-year-old Dmitry was appointed head of the department, and at first he directed the actions of 10 colleagues, many of whom were older than him.
In fierce battles, then he was injured – a fragment of a shell flew into his face, tearing his lip and knocking out a tooth. The clavicle was broken by another fragment, where the doctors had to install a fastening plate, damaged ribs. But after treatment, he returned to duty.
At the age of 21, he became the youngest commander of the 1st assault company of the DUK. He fought in the battles for Karlovka, Sands and Savur-Mogila.
In August 2018, in the area of Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, unidentified people attempted to kill Dmitry by shooting his car. Then the warrior was not hurt.
But it is too difficult to fit all the military merits of Dmitry, who received the call sign “Da Vinci” at the front, into one article. His zeal, intelligence, courage and struggle for an idea aroused the admiration of many, including his brethren.
Dmitry “Da Vinci” Kotsyubaylo / Photo from the social networks of the warrior
The first Hero of Ukraine among volunteers
On December 1, 2021, in the hall of the Verkhovna Rada, President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Dmytro “Da Vinci” Kotsyubayl with the Order of the Golden Star, the highest state award received by the Heroes of Ukraine. Dmitry became the first volunteer who received the highest state award during his lifetime.
Dmitry himself considered this decision of the president to be historical and a reward for all those who have been fighting since 2014 as part of volunteer formations.
And it is not so simple, this is a historic decision, this state recognized those whom it does not actually govern as worthy of state awards. Honestly, I still can’t believe that this happened, – he explained after the awarding of the Da Vinci.
Hero of Ukraine Dmitry Kotsyubaylo received the Order of the Golden Star / Photo by Valentina Polishchuk, Channel 24
The personal life of a warrior and what were his plans for the time after the end of the war
After three years of war, Dmitry met Alina Mikhailova, a volunteer from the Hospitaller medical battalion. The girl then offered “Da Vinci” help with medicine for his company. Word by word, they began to communicate, feelings arose between them and became inseparable.
Dmitry and Alina together in Donbas / Photo from social networks
Alina was also on the Maidan during the Revolution of Dignity. At first, the volunteer helped distribute tea and sandwiches to the protesters, and when mass executions began, she saved the wounded. After these events, she graduated from tactical medicine courses and went east.
A few months before the full-scale invasion, giving interviews, Dmitry convinced that in any case his future would be connected with military affairs, given that there was no end in sight to the war. Dmitry no longer had plans to return to those hobbies that impressed him in his youth.
However, after more than a year of full-scale war, the life of Dmitry Kotsyubayl ended in battle. His brethren from the Da Vinci Wolves unit, which was called that because Dmitry commanded it, say that the commander died the way he lived – as a Hero.
The editors of Channel 24 bring their sincere condolences to the family, friends and relatives of the Hero. This is a huge loss for our entire country. Eternal memory and eternal glory to the Hero Dmitry “Da Vinci” Kotsyubaylo!
