Maxim “Sima” Grachev is a fan of the football club “Kryvbas” (Kryvyi Rih), a representative of the team “OldSchool Kryvbas”.
Maxim Olegovich Grachev was born on October 14, 1989 in Krivoy Rog. He studied at school No. 32, after which he graduated from the Mining Technical School. Maxim was raised by his grandparents. In elementary grades, he studied the game of the bayana, then attended the sambo section.
He began to cheer for Kryvbas in the fan sector in the 2006/07 season. He has always been among those who are willing to support the team not only outside the stadium, but also to defend the club colors outside it. He was a member of the football team “Long City”, and later continued his fan path together with other representatives of the old school of the Kryvyi Rih movement. Maxim's teammates recall his super ability - to leave the house, and without planning to go on a trip, or just visit friends or enemies.
In civilian life, Maxim worked as a miner of the “Sukha Balka” mine. In the fall of 2011, he got married, and the next year his son, Ivan, was born.
End of 2013 - beginning of 2014: came out in support of Maidan with the local community. The flag of Ukraine has been kept in the family since then. He took part in the overthrow of the monument to Lenin in Kryvyi Rih.
In 2015, he joined the National Guard of Ukraine, underwent training and joined the ranks of the Azov regiment, defended the country from the enemy in the hottest spots. Decided to continue studying and wanted to become a doctor at the end of 2021, but did not have time to complete his studies. In 2021, he handed over to the ATO Museum in Krivoy Rog his armored vest with the inscription and chevron “Azov”, helmet, uniform and tactical glasses.
At the beginning of the full-scale war, “Sima” served in Mariupol. After being wounded in his leg, he continued to defend the city. In the afternoon he repulsed the invaders, in the evening he returned to the hospital bed under droppers and painkillers. Ruslan “David”, author of the book “Mariupol. The Book of the Brave”, recalling the feat of Maxim, said that he fought heroically, until the last day destroying the invaders. In just one battle, covering his comrades from the trophy machine gun “Pecheneg”, he destroyed more than 30 Russian infantrymen.
The last time Sima contacted his family was on April 6 and reported that the task was not being completed. Maxim Grachev died on April 7, 2022 as a result of the collision of the PTUR on the boat on which BC was transported with his brothers. On that boat were also Alexei Yanin - a fan of the Zaporizhzhya “Metalurg”, and Roman Potishka - a fan of the Lviv “Carpathians”.
Awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree (posthumously). On March 16, 2024, the beginning of the match of the UPL between Kryvbas and Kolos was dedicated to the fans of the Kryvyi Rih club who died in the war. The first symbolic hit on the ball this match was opened by the son of Makim Grachev - Ivan.
