Hibs forward Mykola Kukharevych gets Ukraine call-up for Euro 2023 play-offs
Hibs forward Mykola Kukharevych has been named in Ruslan Rotan’s Ukraine Under-21 squad for the upcoming Euro 2023 play-off double-header against Slovakia later this month.
The 21-year-old, who is expected to arrive in Edinburgh in the early part of next week to meet his new team-mates and the Easter Road coaching staff, has 12 caps to his name so far and three goals.
Kukharevych made his debut for the 21s in a 4-1 win against Malta in November 2020 during qualifying for Euro 2021. He scored twice and played 64 minutes, following it up with a goal in a 3-0 victory over Northern Ireland four days later.
He played in three friendlies in the early part of 2021 against Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, and Slovakia, before missing three games against Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey with a ligament injury.
The on-loan ESTAC Troyes frontman was in the Ukraine squad for all ten of their qualifiers, getting game-time in seven, mostly as a substitute.
Kukharevych is one of four forwards in the squad along with Vladyslav Vanat of Dynamo Kyiv, FC Zurich forward Bohdan Vyunnyk, and Danylo Sikan, who plays his club football for Shakhtar Donetsk.
Also included in the squad is Kukharevych’s former Rukh Lviv colleague Oleksiy Sych.
Ukraine are away for the first leg, taking place at the Štadión pod Dubňom on Friday September 23.
Due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, the second leg will be played at the Stadion Miejski w Bielsku-Białej in Poland, on Tuesday September 27.
If Ukraine they beat Slovakia, will advance to the finals, due to take place in Romania and Georgia next June and July.