Defending his native land from the invaders, reconnaissance operator of the assault battalion of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, former football player and coach — Mykhailo Tolstiak — was killed in action in the Luhansk region. He was only thirty.
Mykhailo was born and raised in Netishyn, in the Khmelnytskyi region. From childhood, his life was inseparably bound to football: he journeyed from a young trainee at the local children’s and youth sports school to a true master of the game.
From 2008 to 2012, he studied at the Lviv Sports Boarding School, where he played for the team “LFKS-Karpaty” in the Ukrainian Youth Football League, taking part in 60 matches and scoring six goals. Later, Mykhailo entered the Kremenets Taras Shevchenko Humanitarian and Pedagogical Academy, majoring in Physical Education.
At the same time, he continued to play football — for the local club “Burevisnyk” in the Ternopil regional championship and in the Ukrainian student league. His play was distinguished by his vision on the field, speed, and sporting intuition — qualities that would later serve him well in war.
In professional football, he played for “Enerhetyk” (Netishyn), “Jutlandia” (Irpin), and several Polish clubs — Blekitni II, Drawa Drawsko, Vineta Wolin, Mewa Resko, and Gryf Kamien. Upon returning to Ukraine, he worked as a coach at the “Novator” Football Club in Khmelnytskyi. For his young players, he became more than a mentor — he was an example of inner strength, diligence, and unwavering faith in victory.
After the start of the full-scale invasion, Mykhailo voluntarily took up arms. As a reconnaissance operator in the assault battalion of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, he served in one of the most demanding military roles — where a cool head, precision of movement, and seamless teamwork mean everything.
Mykhailo fell in battle near the village of Hrekivka in the Svatove district of the Luhansk region on October 29, 2025. His death is a great loss not only to his family, friends, and comrades-in-arms, but also to the hundreds of children to whom he had given the gift of love for football.
On November 8, 2025, the community of Netishyn bowed their heads in sorrow — here they bid farewell to the valiant son of Khmelnychchyna, Mykhailo Tolstiak, who gave his life for the freedom and independence of Ukraine.
Eternal glory to the Hero.