On the front lines, defending Ukraine, Vitalii Zalizniak, a native of Dnipropetrovsk region, a talented athlete, and a devoted defender of his homeland, gave his life.
He was born on February 16, 1973, in Kryvyi Rih. From a young age, his life was deeply intertwined with sports—captivated by football, he became a professional player, excelling as a defender. Through perseverance and skill, he earned the title of Master of Sports of Ukraine in football.
Vitalii’s football career began in 1993 with Pavlohrad’s “Shakhtar,” where he made his professional debut. Over the years, he played for Novomoskovsk’s “Metalurh,” Mariupol’s “Metalurh,” Zaporizhzhia’s “Torpedo,” “Vuhlyk” from Dymytrov, Dniprodzerzhynsk’s “Stal,” and Nikopol’s “Elektrometalurh-NZF.” Throughout his career, he played over 100 matches in Ukraine’s Second League, earning silver and bronze medals in the competition. He also competed in the Ukrainian Premier League with Mariupol’s “Metalurh.” Even after retiring, he continued playing for amateur and veteran teams.
With the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Vitalii joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, dedicating himself to defending his homeland. He served in military unit 7225 as a machine gunner in a fire support platoon. On December 3, 2023, he was killed by shrapnel wounds while carrying out a combat mission near the village of Zaliznychne in Zaporizhzhia region.
Vitalii Zalizniak will forever be remembered by his friends, family, comrades, and fans as a warrior of indomitable spirit, a courageous athlete, and a man who dedicated his life to struggle—first on the football field, and later, in the defense of Ukraine.
A farewell ceremony for the Hero took place on December 5, 2023, in Novomoskovsk, at the memorial honoring the fallen.