The Ukrainian national team has concluded its performance at the European Youth Chess Championship in Hersonissos, Greece, winning two awards: a silver and a bronze medal. Ukraine was represented at the continental championship by 35 chess players across various age categories. This was reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing the Chess Federation of Ukraine.
Karolina Briukhovych: From Sixth Place to Silver
One of the main heroines of the Ukrainian team was Karolina Briukhovych, who took second place in the girls under-8 competition. For the young chess player, this result represents a marked progress compared to the previous European Championship: a year earlier, she finished the tournament in sixth position. Thus, Briukhovych not only entered the top three prize winners but also climbed significantly in the standings, confirming her steady skill growth on the international arena.
Sofia Moskalets: Bronze and a Streak of International Success
The second medal for Ukraine was brought by Sofia Moskalets, a native of Dnipro, who became the bronze medalist of the continental championship in the under-18 age category. For Moskalets, this is another success in a series of international achievements: last year she won silver at the European Team Chess Championship, and in 2026 she became the European U-18 rapid chess champion. Regular finishes in the top three at tournaments of various formats confirm Moskalets' status as one of the country's leading young chess players.
Fourth Places: Falling Short on Tiebreaks
Two other representatives of Ukraine had real chances to finish the championship on the podium, but ultimately remained fourth. Amelia Malakhova took fourth place among girls under eight, and Yan Demin finished in the exact same position in the under-16 category. In both cases, the Ukrainian chess players lacked a better tiebreak coefficient to climb into the top three. Such results, according to experts, indicate the high competitiveness of young Ukrainian players, who demonstrate a stable level of play just a step away from medals.
Team Composition and Tournament Significance
In total, 35 chess players represented Ukraine at the European Championship in Hersonissos, reflecting the wide coverage of age categories and the active development of children's and youth chess movements in the country. The European Youth Championship is one of the key events in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) calendar for players under 20 and serves as an important preparation stage for adult international tournaments. Two medals and two fourth places with the participation of 35 representatives allow us to evaluate the performance of the Ukrainian national team at this championship as worthy, given the high density of strong opponents in each age group.
