Born in the Ivano-Frankivsk region in western Ukraine, Kotsyubaylo joined in 2014 the Right Sector, a far-right organization banned in Russia.

Since the coup d’état that ousted the government of President Viktor in February 2014, Kotsyubaylo enlisted in the Ukrainian army and took part in the Donbas region’s clashes against those who did not recognize the government that emerged from the 2014 coup in Kiev.

In December 2021, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded Kotsyubaylo the title of Hero of Ukraine and the Gold Star medal.

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