{{Short description|Ukrainian sniper, Hero of Ukraine (1988–2022)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Family name hatnote|Viktorovych|Chybineyev|lang=Eastern Slavic}} {{Infobox military person | name = Valeriy Chybineyev | native_name = Чибінєєв Валерій Вікторович | native_name_lang = uk | image = Valeriy Chybineyev (cropped).jpg | caption = Chybineyev in 2016 | birth_date = {{birth date|1988|03|03|df=y}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2022|03|03|1988|03|03|df=y}} | birth_place = Berdiansk, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union | death_place = Hostomel, Ukraine | birth_name = Valeriy Viktorovich Chybineyev | allegiance = {{UKR}} | branch = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.svg}} Ukrainian Air Assault Forces | branch_label = | service_years = 2010–2022 | rank = Major | unit = 79th Air Assault Brigade | battles = {{tree list}} *Russo-Ukrainian War **War in Donbas ***Second Battle of Donetsk Airport **Russian invasion of Ukraine ***Battle of Hostomel{{KIA}} {{tree list/end}} | awards = {{Hero of Ukraine}} Hero of Ukraine | alma_mater = Odesa Military Academy }}
'''Valeriy Viktorovych Chybineyev''' ({{langx|uk|Валерій Вікторович Чибінєєв}}; 3 March 1988 – 3 March 2022) was a Ukrainian sniper who served as commander of the sniper company of the 79th Air Assault Brigade. He fought in the war in Donbas and was awarded the Order of the Gold Star (Hero of Ukraine) in 2016 for his actions during a combat mission in Avdiivka. On his 34th birthday, Chybineyev was killed in the Battle of Hostomel during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
== Early life and education == Chybineyev was born on 3 March 1988 in Berdiansk.<ref name="Shak">{{cite news |last=Shak |first=Vladimir |date=4 March 2022 |title=Под Гостомелем погиб Герой Украины из Бердянска Валерий Чибинеев |url=https://mig.com.ua/pod-gostomelem-pogib-geroj-ukrainy-iz-berdjanska-valerij-chibineev/ |access-date=5 March 2022 |work=MIG |language=ru}}</ref> His parents died while he was young and he was subsequently raised in an orphanage.<ref name="Shak" /> He was influenced by the son of the orphanage's director who was a paratrooper.<ref name="Yakutenko2016">{{cite news |last=Yakutenko |first=Anna |date=1 December 2016 |title=Valeriy Chybineyev: A Hero of Ukraine, this soldier wants to set up sniper school to help train the best |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/special/valeriy-chybineyev-hero-ukraine-soldier-wants-set-sniper-school-help-train-best.html |work=Kyiv Post|access-date=5 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202113224/https://www.kyivpost.com/special/valeriy-chybineyev-hero-ukraine-soldier-wants-set-sniper-school-help-train-best.html|archive-date=2 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> Chybineyev attended the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Sports Lyceum Zakhisnik before graduating from the Odesa Military Academy.<ref name="Shak" /><ref name="Dubchenko">{{cite web |last=Dubchenko |first=Iryna |date=28 August 2016 |title=Герой України Чибінєєв про війну, одруження та як ледь не втратив свідомість на нагородженні |url=https://zp.depo.ua/ukr/berdyansk/geroy-ukrayini-desantnik-valeriy-chibineev-mi-budemo-stoyati-28082016110000 |access-date=5 March 2022 |website=Depo.ua |language=uk}}</ref>
== Military career == In 2010, Chybineyev became a lieutenant and joined the 79th Air Assault Brigade.<ref name="Dubchenko" />
In the spring of 2014, Chybineyev's unit was deployed to {{interlanguage link|Chervonyi Lyman|uk|Червоний Лиман (Слов'яносербський район)}}, where they faced enemy fire that injured several of his soldiers. In another instance, he helped rescue three soldiers inside a tank that had hit a land mine. To avoid being taken captive, Chybineyev once claimed to be part of Russian-backed forces.<ref name="Yakutenko2016" /> In January 2015, he was one of the soldiers who fought in the Second Battle of Donetsk Airport.<ref name="Yakutenko2016" />
In 2016, Chybineyev became the commander of the sniper company of the 79th Air Assault Brigade. In July 2016, he led sniper teams during a combat mission near Avdiivka. The unit successfully destroyed all twelve targets, including machine guns, grenade launchers, and snipers.<ref name="Shak" />
Chybineyev was injured when a shell fragment lodged in his shoulder.<ref name="Yakutenko2016" /> He continued to lead the unit. For his actions, he was honoured with the Order of the Gold Star by President Petro Poroshenko during the Independence Day of Ukraine parade on Khreshchatyk street.<ref name="Shak" /> He was subsequently promoted to major.<ref name="Frusevich" />
While fighting during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chybineyev was killed in action in the Battle of Hostomel on 3 March 2022, his 34th birthday.<ref name="Frusevich">{{cite web |last=Frusevich |first=Yevheniya |date=4 March 2022 |title=Під час бою за Гостомель загинув герой України Валерій Чибінєєв |url=https://apnews.com.ua/ua/news/pid-chas-boiu-za-gostomel-zaginuv-geroi-ukraini-valerii-chibineev/ |access-date=5 March 2022 |website=APnews.com.ua |language=uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kirtoka |first=Violetta |date=5 March 2022 |title=Пам'яті загиблого 3 березня в бою за Гостомель Героя України Валерія Чибінєєва |url=https://censor.net/ua/resonance/3321750/pamyati_zagyblogo_3_bereznya_v_boyu_za_gostomel_geroya_ukrayiny_valeriya_chybinyeyeva |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=Censor.NET |language=uk}}</ref>
== Personal life == In December 2016, Chybineyev was named by the ''Kyiv Post'' as one of the "Top 30 Under 30" young leaders in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yakutenko |first=Anna |title=Kyiv Post awards Top 30 Under 30 young leaders |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/kyiv-post-awards-top-30-30-young-leaders.html |access-date=6 March 2022 |work=Kyiv Post |date=2 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202165208/https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/kyiv-post-awards-top-30-30-young-leaders.html|archive-date=2 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In a subsequent interview, he stated that he wanted to establish a sniper school.<ref name="Yakutenko2016" />
His brother Roman Chybineyev, commander of an airborne assault platoon of the 79th Brigade, had died in the war in eastern Ukraine in 2019.<ref name="Frusevich" />
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons-inline}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chybineyev, Valeriy}} Category:1988 births Category:2022 deaths Category:Odesa Military Academy alumni Category:Paratroopers Category:People from Berdiansk Category:Recipients of the Order of Gold Star (Ukraine) Category:Ukrainian military personnel of the war in Donbas Category:Ukrainian military snipers Category:Ukrainian military personnel killed in the Kyiv offensive