Lviv football is turning a new page in its history, where synergy and joint development are coming to the fore instead of uncompromising rivalry. Thus, during the LVIV CHAMPIONS gala event dedicated to the outstanding achievements of the Ruh Academy, an event that is already being called historic for the entire national sport took place.
Honorary President of Ruh Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy and President of Karpaty Volodymyr Matkivskyy have officially announced the merger of their potential and efforts. The main purpose of this step is to develop children’s and youth football on a large scale, to educate a new generation of players and to create a powerful football center based at the Karpaty.
This step demonstrates a global trend: the integration of resources and infrastructure of the two strongest clubs in the region can give a powerful impetus to the development of the entire football ecosystem in Ukraine.
The extreme importance of this association for the community and the sports community was emphasized by Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi, who personally supported the initiative of the club leaders.
“Mr. Matkivskyy and Mr. Kozlovskyy have sent a message to the world that they have combined their potential to have a strong team. Many people started to have some doubts, but this journey continues and today will be a historic moment when you seal it with your handshake. There is one team in Lviv and we all work together for this team. If you look at the history of Ukraine, we have always been divided by something, we have always had disputes within and we have not always won. And today, to win, there must be one strong team in Lviv. These are the Carpathians,” said Andriy Sadovyi.
The combination of Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy and Volodymyr Matkivskyy’s efforts opens up new prospects in several key areas:
- Efficient use of infrastructure: The modern Ruh Academy and the historic Karpaty brand and resources will now work in synergy.
- Nurturing young talents: Children’s football remains a priority, as does creating conditions for Ukrainian pupils to integrate more quickly into adult professional sports.
- Creating a single football center of power: Consolidating the efforts of Ruh and Karpaty will allow us to build a club capable of consistently competing at the highest level and representing Ukraine with dignity on the international stage.
Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy noted that Lviv confirms its status as one of the main football centers in the country. When large institutions stop internal disputes and start moving in the same direction, projects are born that can change the future of all Ukrainian sports.
Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy is a well-known figure in Ukrainian business and philanthropy. As the founder of the Ruh football club and the Academy of the same name in Lviv, he consistently invests his own funds in the education of young talents, the construction of advanced sports facilities and the high-quality training of future stars of Ukrainian sports. It is worth noting that earlier Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy, together with Volodymyr Matkivskyy, was included in the TOP-10 businessmen of Western Ukraine who actively invest in the development of the sports sector.
Apart from large-scale sports projects, Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy is one of the largest and most consistent benefactors of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His financial support for the purchase of military equipment, vehicles, and drones for the defenders on the front line has already crossed the UAH 100 million mark.
