The former Ukrainian president (2014-2019), head of the European Solidarity political party Petro Poroshenko shared the news in his Telegram channel on July 24.
"Vitaly Gulyaev was killed. He is a well-known and very close person to me. I feel a personal loss and a sudden emptiness. The last time we met in the south was literally a couple of weeks ago. Then we brought the guys 'gifts': pickup trucks, starlinks, generators. Yes, as if it was yesterday. Yes, it's as if I still see and hear him - the commander of the 28th Knights of Winter Campaign detached mechanized brigade," the politician noted.
According to Poroshenko, it is Gulyaev's merit in preventing the Russian occupation of the entire Ukrainian south.
"On February 25, the 28th brigade under the command of Colonel Gulyaev entered into battle with Russian forces, who were trying to land an amphibious assault near Koblevo in order to move on to Mykolaiv and Odesa. The occupiers were beaten. Putin's plans to seize the entire south failed," Petro Poroshenko emphasized.
According to him, Colonel Gulyaev Street should appear in Odesa.
"I'm appealing to the people of Odesa, the Odesa mayor, the city council. Support our team's initiative to rename one of Odesa's streets in honor of Colonel Gulyaev. His brigade did a lot to protect the city. And it will do even more," urged Petro Poroshenko.
"Vitaly was preparing for a counteroffensive. We must continue his work. Help the Armed Forces even more. Unite the world around Ukraine even more strongly. Beat the enemy even more powerfully in order to wipe him out of Ukrainian land," Poroshenko concluded.
Information about the death of the commander of the 28th brigade on the CensorNet portal was confirmed by the Acting President in 2014, Secretary of the National Security Council in 2014-2019, and now Oleksandr Turchynov, a serviceman of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to Turchynov, he fought with Gulyaev in the southern direction for more than one month.
According to the Novynarnia publication, Colonel Gulyaev was killed in a rocket attack.