Remembering Hryhoriy Grigoriev, 35

He was a candidate for a Master of Sport in rock climbing and he worked at Kharkiv’s climbing gym, Vertical, often volunteering to organize competitions and be a judge. At the age of 35, he died alongside his lifelong friend and fellow climber Oleksandr Zakolodny.

Published Mar 21, 2023

Delaney Miller

Photo: Courtesy of Gennadii Kopeika

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Hryhoriy Grigoriev is remembered by loved ones as an honest and kind person. He was among the first to volunteer for the war effort following Russia’s invasion. At the age of 35, he died alongside his lifelong friend and fellow climber Oleksandr Zakolodny in a Russian attack near Soledad.

Grigoriev was born in Kharkiv to Olena Leonidivna and Hryhoriy Kuzmich. He was a candidate for a Master of Sport in rock climbing. He worked at Kharkiv’s climbing gym, Vertical, and often helped organize competitions and volunteered as a judge. Grigoriev and Zakolodny trained together in the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute mountaineering section and climbed together in the mountains.

“He was ready to help everyone,” remembers a fellow Ukrainian climber, Gennadii Kopeika.

He worked on the Kharkiv city council and, in addition to climbing, was an avid marathon runner, cycler, and triathlete. The Kharkiv Climbing Club held an annual running competition in the lead-up to alpine season. The eight-kilometer race meandered through a local park. Grigoriev, alongside Zakolodny, participated every year, regardless if it was a hot June morning or raining heavily.

Grigoriev’s last Facebook post, dated January 1, 2023, was in response to an invitation to participate in an international marathon, hosted by fellow mountaineers after the war. Grigoriev replied: “I am glad that you continue our traditions! I believe that this year we will run together.”

“Unfortunately, he can no longer do it. War takes the best from us,” says Kopeika.

Oleksandr Zakolodny and Hryhoriy Grigoriev defended Ukraine in the hot spots of the eastern front (January 2023). (Photo: Courtesy of Gennadii Kopeika)

Located just 25 kilometers from the Russian border, Kharkiv was subjected to fierce shelling of residential areas within the first days of war. Grigoriev took people to safe regions. At Zakolodny’s invitation, he went to the front lines, telling relatives, “I must save and help. We must win. Who, if not me, should go there?”

During the 10 months of the war, Grigoriev sustained two wounds, but returned to the front again. His last fight on January 21, 2023 was between Soledar and Bakhmut, when they were ambushed by Russians. Grigoriev and Zakolodny were surrounded, and both men died of gunshot wounds.