Karazin Student, European Chess Champion, was Congratulated by Rector Tetyana Kaganovska

Karazin University is proud of its students who conquer global heights. On April 27, a meeting took place between the Rector Tetyana Kaganovska and a 2nd-year student of the Education and Research Institute “Karazin Institute of International Relations and Travel Business”, international master and current European Chess Champion Roman Dehtiarov.

Roman Dehtiarov is a personality the entire chess world is talking about today. In 2026, he achieved a real sensation by winning the tournament in Katowice (Poland). Starting from the 126th position in the ranking among more than 500 participants, Roman became the first European Champion in history to win this prestigious title without holding the grandmaster title. His performance rating at the tournament (2781 points) became one of the highest in the world.

During the meeting, the Rector congratulated Roman on his incredible achievements in sports and on receiving the “Future of Ukraine” award from the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Tetyana Kaganovska also presented Roman with a certificate from V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University for his significant personal contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, high level of athletic mastery, promotion of chess among young people, and outstanding achievements on the international stage.

“Chess is strategy, analysis, and the ability to think several moves ahead. These are exactly the qualities that Ukrainian youth need today. The European Champion is a student of our university. For the entire Karazin community, this is a source of pride and a special responsibility. It is the university’s responsibility to support such people, create opportunities for them, and do everything possible to ensure they stay in Ukraine, build their future here, and contribute to the country’s future,” said the Rector in her address. Thanks to his victory at the European Championship, Roman earned the right to represent Ukraine at the FIDE World Cup alongside chess legends Vasyl Ivanchuk and Anton Korobov.

We congratulate Roman on his achievements and wish him new victories!