Viktoriya Kotylarova was a female footballer who played in the Ukrainian Women’s High League. She was killed in an air strike on the Ukrainian capital in Kyiv, alongside her mother Lyudmila.
Viktoriya’s maiden name is Chornovil. It is with this name she made her name in football. At the Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University she played in her university’s team. She was the champion of the Kyiv Futsal Cup among students and won the Dynamo Student League tournament.
Victoriya played as a goalkeeper, went on to play in the Ukrainian Women’s High League, the Winter Cup of Ukraine for women’s teams of the Higher League and the IV Winter Championship of Ukraine for women’s teams. During her career, played for Chernihiv “Spartak”, Uman “Yatran” and Kyiv “Atex”.
She ended her footballing career early, finding work elsewhere, including as an actress. She got married on December 23, 2023, taking her husband Andriy’s surname, Kotlyarova. He is a member of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Viktoriya had plans to start a family and was excited for married life. Unfortunately, the newlyweds’ happiness did not last long…
On December 29, 2023, the Russian military launched one of its largest air strikes on Ukraine to date. According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 158 air targets were launched, among them kamikaze drones, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, supersonic missiles and other types of weapons. During the attack, more than 30 civilians died in the capital, including Victoria Kotlyarova and her mother…
“When you read about the dead civilians, you don’t know their names, the numbers are 3, 9, 15, 20, 28… And then it turns out that there is someone you knew among them. On December 29, the talented soccer player Viktoria Kotlyarova, Chika, died as a result of enemy Russian shelling of Kyiv. You look at footage of her in the film, how she smiles, trains, plays, takes freeze frames, screenshots, as if stopping time, a moment, to leave it here as a memory. My heart sinks, now all I can say is: “Bright memory, dear Chika,” Alisa Kovalenko wrote.
“I will remember Vika as a bright, smiling and sincere girl. Forever in our hearts,” wrote colleague Mila Gurbuz.
Victoria is survived by her husband, father, and grandmother.
Although not a serving member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Viktoriya was still killed by indiscriminate attacks by the fascist invaders. Civilians are still dying each day in Ukraine, because of the barbaric invasion by their neighbours.
Article by Peter Chymera. Peter is a co-founder of Donetsk Way and the Viktor Leonenko Hall of Fame. Follow Peter on twitter – @PMChymera89
With war ongoing in Ukraine and continued murder and destruction, it feels trivial to write about football. But as the anthem says – “The glory and freedom of Ukraine has not yet perished” and competing in sports at the highest level is a platform to keep Ukraine in the news, and show that Ukraine is a sovereign state, despite the latest Genocidal atrocities being committed against it.
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Throughout Euro 2024 we will be able to do what we love, support our Ukrainian football team. Unfortunately, most Ukrainian football fans will not be able to do this. They are defending Ukraine on the front lines, and too many have paid with their lives. We will be supporting the Stands of Heroes Foundation during the tournament and beyond. The Charitable Foundation “Stands of Heroes” was created by Ukrainian football fans. Their main task is to provide systematic financial support to the families of fallen football fans from all over Ukraine and all those involved in the around-football society. If you can, please consider supporting Stand of Heroes.
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