Participant of the regional contest "Young Person of the Year – 2025" in the nomination "A Heart Given to Donetsk Region" Kyrylo Parienko
Kyrylo Parienko was born in Donetsk in 2011. His childhood unfolded during a difficult time for the Donetsk region. In 2014, when he was only three, his family was forced to leave their hometown of Yasynuvata and move to the Bakhmut district. The full-scale invasion found Kyrylo and his family in Dnipro, where they had moved in 2021.
Despite his young age, Kyrylo has endured the challenges of displacement, losing his familiar world, and starting from scratch in a new city. His heart, however, remains dedicated to the Donetsk region. His home, childhood memories, and love for his native land have become his main sources of inspiration. These events have forged his strength of character and a desire to prove that even the most difficult circumstances cannot break a person who believes in themselves and loves their homeland.
From an early age, Kyrylo was an avid sportsman. He started playing football at age six. In 2021, he joined the "UFC-Kryvbas" football club, where he proved to be a determined and resilient athlete. In 2024, Kyrylo was admitted to the Dnipropetrovsk Professional College of Sports, which allows him to combine his studies with high-level athletic training. He is currently a 9th-grade student in the football department.
Kyrylo's talent is not limited to sports. Alongside his football training, he started singing and later playing the electric guitar at a young age. He has participated in numerous national and international vocal competitions and festivals, winning first prizes and Grand Prix awards. What sets him apart is not just his vocal ability but also his deep emotionality, sincerity, and skill in conveying personal feelings through song.
Kyrylo has already written two original songs: "In the Network" and "Donbas Arena." The song "Donbas Arena" holds a special place in his heart. In it, Kyrylo reflects on the loss of his home, childhood memories, and the place where he took his first steps and dreamed of the future. It is a musical story filled with pain, love, and hope for return. Through his music, Kyrylo was able to convey what cannot be expressed in words—the feelings of a young boy whom the war tore away from his hometown but could not take his soul and memories.
In 2025, he reached a significant milestone in his creative career, becoming one of the Top 15 finalists in the National Selection for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest, out of over 510 applicants from all over Ukraine. This achievement is a testament to his talent, strength of character, and a desire to represent Ukrainian youth with dignity.
Today, Kyrylo lives in the Dnipro community, successfully combining his studies, intensive football training, and work on new musical projects, creating the latest history of Ukrainian music. Kyrylo is a constant participant in cultural events supporting IDPs and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, organized by charitable foundations and communities of the Donetsk region now based in Dnipro, where he performs as a singer. Kyrylo is the eldest of six children, and it is important for him to be a role model for his younger siblings.
Kyrylo Parienko represents the young generation of the Donetsk region. Despite all the difficulties, he has preserved his love for his native land and strives to develop its cultural heritage and glorify Ukraine in the creative and sports arenas. Kyrylo dreams that one day his songs will be heard on a large international stage, and he will be able to return to his native, peaceful land with new victories and pride for never betraying his roots and remaining faithful to the Donetsk region and Ukraine.