"Had the character to go and climb untill the end": Ukrainian climber, who fought against Russia, died on New Year's Eve

Volodymyr Burenko, a 35-year-old rock climber from Cherkasy who was defending Ukraine from the Russian invasion as part of the 404th Battalion, was killed in a battle with the Russian occupiers. The news of their loved one's death came to the family on the eve of the new year, 2024.

According to his coach, Viacheslav Polezhayko, Volodymyr was always very active and ready to help the Cherkasy Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing develop. He was also extremely creative and cheerful.

"One of our first students, Vova Burenko, died at the front... For many years, he was in the forefront of any of our events. He always took an active part in the daily life of the federation. With him, we opened the first office, organized the first training camps and competitions, built a climbing wall in the Manege, and did many more good and useful things..." Polezhayko wrote.

"He was was one of the first to come to Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing of Ukraine. He had a strong character to reach, climb, crawl, and finish what he started. He loved the tourist movement - gatherings, platforms, wagons, camp life, singing to Vyacheslav Polezhayko's guitar. You couldn't help but love Vova, he was always smiling, even when he was angry," Pavlo Kucher reacted to the climber's death.

Pavlo recalled how they once played chess in a camp in the Caucasus and Volodymyr won: "I don't like to lose, but that time I was sincerely happy to see his unconcealed joy. My friend, thank you for being in our lives."

Burenko fought his last battle with the Russian invaders on December 29, 2023. At home, the fallen defender was burried by his wife and daughter.

Also, Ukrainian football player Victoria Kotlyarova was killed during a missile attack on Kyiv on December 29. And in Lviv, former Ukrainian national basketball player Viktor Kobzysty became a victim of Russians.

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