Maksym Kryvtsov

In this name that follows East Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Oleksandrovych and the family name is Kryvtsov.

Maksym Oleksandrovych Kryvtsov (Ukrainian: Максим Олександрович Кривцов; 22 January 1990 – 7 January 2024) was a Ukrainian poet, photographer, public figure, volunteer and soldier. He was a Junior sergeant of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,^[1] and participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Maksym Kryvtsov
Максим Кривцов
Kryvtsov in 2020
Born	Maksym Oleksandrovych Kryvtsov (1990-01-23)23 January 1990 Rivne, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	7 January 2024(2024-01-07) (aged 33)
Nationality	Ukrainian
Other names	Dali (Далі)
Occupation(s)	Poet, soldier
Awards	Order of Merit

Biography

Maksym Oleksandrovych Kryvtsov was born in Rivne on 22 January 1990.^[1] His father was a press salesman, and his mother was a school librarian. He studied at schools #23 and #28 in Rivne. He graduated from the Technical School of Technology and Design in Rivne with a degree in Production of Nonwoven Textile Materials.^[2][3]

In 2014, Kryvtsov graduated from the Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, where he studied footwear and leather goods design. He worked at the Rivne Factory of Nonwovens, as a sales assistant, assistant atelier master, and SMM manager of the Strokati yenoty project.^[2][3]

Kryvtsov was a participant of the Revolution of Dignity.^[3] From 2014, he was a volunteer at the frontlines, and was a member of the ATO/JFO. He participated in combat operations as part of the 5th Battalion of the Right Sector (2014–2015), and later as a senior machine gunner in the Rapid Response Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine (2016–2019). After demobilization, he worked as a content manager at the YARMIZ Center for Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation of ATO and JFO Participants, and was a copywriter at Veteran Hub.^[3]

With the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kryvtsov rejoined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.^[3] On 7 January 2024, his red cat, to whom he had dedicated the poem below, died along with him.^[3][4][5] On 11 January, a farewell service was held at St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral, and then on Maidan Nezalezhnosti in Kyiv.^[6] He was buried on 12 January in his hometown on the Alley of Heroes at the Nove Cemetery.^[7]

Poetry

Kryvtsov wrote poetry since he was a teenager.^[2] He was published in collections with works by other authors—"The Book of Love 2.0. Love and War", "Where I am at Home: 112 Poems about Love and War", and "Lullaby of the 21st Century Vol. 1: What Lulls You to Sleep?". Songs based on his poetry have been performed by the Ukrainian band Yurcash [uk] —"Dominant Height", "He is in the Armed Forces, She is in the TRO", and "Yellow Scotch".^[3] He was fond of photography.^[8]

The song 'Yellow Scotch' based on a poem by Maksym Kryvtsov performed by the band 'Yurkesh' sounds in the movie 'Our Kitties'.^[3]

In 2023, Kryvtsov published a collection of poetry Virshi z biinytsi, which was recognized as one of the best Ukrainian books of 2023 by PEN Ukraine.^[3][9]

Awards

• Order of Merit, 3rd class (22 January 2024, posthumously)^[10]