Dmytro Kotsiubailo
{{Short description|Ukrainian soldier (1995–2023)}}
{{sources|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
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| name = Dmytro Kotsiubailo
{{nobold|{{lang|uk|Дмитро Коцюбайло}}}}
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| image = Дмитро Коцюбайло, 1.jpg
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| nickname = Da Vinci
| birth_date = {{birth date|1995|11|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Zadnistrianske, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Ukraine
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|03|07|1995|11|01|df=y}}
| death_place = Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
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| allegiance = Ukrainian Armed Forces
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| rank = Lieutenant
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| commands = 1st Mechanized Battalion
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- Russo-Ukrainian War
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Battle of Kyiv
- Kharkiv counteroffensive
- Battle of Bakhmut{{KIA}}
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| awards = {{Hero of Ukraine}}
{{Cross of Military Merit (Ukraine)}}
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Dmytro Ivanovych "Da Vinci" Kotsiubailo ({{langx|uk|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.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Zelenskiy leads tributes to revered Ukrainian fighter killed in Bakhmut |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/zelenskiy-leads-tributes-revered-ukrainian-fighter-killed-bakhmut-2023-03-10/ |access-date=2023-03-11}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-09 |title=Death of Ukrainian commander 'Da Vinci' gives Russia a propaganda win |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-war-russia-bakhmut-zelensky-b2296581.html |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=The Independent |language=en}}
In December 2021 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Kotsiubailo the Hero of Ukraine Ukraine decoration, the country's highest honour.[https://tsn.ua/exclusive/geroy-ukrayini-dobrovolec-da-vinchi-vpershe-zustrichaye-noviy-rik-ne-na-fronti-1944760.html Герой України доброволець «Да Вінчі» вперше зустрічає Новий рік не на фронті] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515080729/https://tsn.ua/exclusive/geroy-ukrayini-dobrovolec-da-vinchi-vpershe-zustrichaye-noviy-rik-ne-na-fronti-1944760.html |date=15 May 2022}} // TSN.ua, 31 December 2021 In 2022, he was included in the 30 under 30: Faces of the Future rating by Forbes.{{cite web|url=https://forbes.ua/ratings/30-do-30-oblichchya-maybutnogo-22082022-7820|title=30 до 30: обличчя майбутнього|website=forbes.ua|date=22 August 2022 }} In March 2023, he was killed at the Battle of Bakhmut.
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.{{Cite web |last=Bushard |first=Brian |title='Hero Of Ukraine' Dies In Battle As Russian Advance Continues |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/03/07/hero-of-ukraine-dies-in-battle-as-russian-advance-continues/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Dubious|date=June 2024|reason="Never joined" contradicts "led the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine"}}
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".{{Cite web|title=На Донбасі загинув Герой України, легендарний доброволець Дмитро Коцюбайло (Да Вінчі), - Зеленський."ВIДЕО|url=https://censor.net/ua/video_news/3404264/na_donbasi_zagynuv_geroyi_ukrayiny_legendarnyyi_dobrovolets_dmytro_kotsyubayilo_da_vinchi_zelenskyyi|website=censor.net|accessdate=7 March 2023|language=uk}} Dmytro was buried at Askold's Grave.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=У Києві попрощалися з легендарним Героєм України "Да Вінчі": фото та відео з Майдану |url=https://24tv.ua/pohoron-dmitra-kotsyubayla-da-vinchi-foto-video-proshhannya-geroyem_n2271255 |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=24 Канал |language=uk}}
On 20 December 2023 the Dnipro City Council renamed a part of Dnipro's central avenue {{ill|Dmytro Kotsiubailo Avenue|uk|Проспект Дмитра Яворницького|ru|Проспект Дмитрия Яворницкого|de|Dmytro-Jawornyzkyj-Prospekt}} in honor of Kotsiubailo.{{cite web |author=Stas Rudenko|title=A square in honor of Dmytro "Da Vinci" Kotsyubail appeared in Dnipro|url=https://dp.informator.ua/uk/u-dnipri-z-yavivsya-skver-na-chest-dmitra-da-vinchi-kocyubayla|date=20 December 2023|access-date=21 December 2023|lang=Ukrainian|website=dp.informator.ua}}
On 18 January 2024 the Kyiv City Council renamed a square in Kyiv's Pecherskyi District in his honor.{{cite web |title=Mykhailo Horyn and Mykola Rudenko streets will appear in Kyiv|url=https://www.istpravda.com.ua/short/2024/01/18/163560/|date=18 January 2024|access-date=18 January 2024|lang=Ukrainian|website=Istorychna Pravda}}
On 20 May 2024 the Poltava city council renamed a street in its city in honour of Kotsiubailo.{{cite news |title=In Zaporizhzhia, a street was renamed in honor of teenage partisans who were killed by the occupiers in Berdyansk|url=https://www.istpravda.com.ua/short/2024/05/21/163935/|access-date=22 May 2024|work=Istorychna Pravda|date=21 May 2024|language=Ukrainian}}
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;Decree of the President of Ukraine from 30 November 2021 year № 608/2021 [https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/6082021-40761 «Про присвоєння Д.Коцюбайлу звання Герой України»] {{in lang|uk}}
- Cross of Military Merit (9 March 2023, posthumously);Decree of the President of Ukraine from 9 March 2023 year № 142/2023 [https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/1422023-46073 «Про нагородження Д.Коцюбайла відзнакою Президента України "Хрест бойових заслуг"»] {{in lang|uk}}
- National Legend of Ukraine (23 August 2023, posthumously)Decree of the President of Ukraine from 23 August 2023 year № 499/2023 «[https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/4992023-47833 Про нагородження відзнакою Президента України «Національна легенда України»]» (in Ukrainian)
- Order of the People's Hero of Ukraine (2017).{{YouTube|GbeTt1oZcs4|Дмитро Коцюбайло став новим Героєм України}} // TSN.ua. — 2021. — 1 December.
Military ranks
- Lieutenant
- Junior Lieutenant (2022)Волошин, Н. [https://armyinform.com.ua/2022/08/23/geroj-ukrayiny-dmytro-koczyubajlo-legendarnyj-da-vinchi-otrymav-pervynne-oficzerske-zvannya-molodshyj-lejtenant/ Герой України Дмитро Коцюбайло — легендарний "Да Вінчі", отримав первинне офіцерське звання «молодший лейтенант], АрміяInform, 23.08.2022.
References
{{Reflist}}{{Russian invasion of Ukraine}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotsiubailo, Dmytro}}
Category:Military personnel from Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Category:Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas
Category:Ukrainian military personnel killed during the Battle of Bakhmut
Category:Ukrainian nationalists
Category:Recipients of the Order of Gold Star (Ukraine)
Category:Recipients of the Cross of Military Merit (Ukraine)
Category:Recipients of the Order of the People's Hero of Ukraine