Ukrainian Hockey Players Join Polonia: Key Details
Artem Hrebenyk and Oleksii Vorona have transferred to Polonia Bytom, a Polish club. Hrebenyk, 23, made the move after spending two seasons in France’s second division. Earlier in his career, he played for Bilyi Bars, BSFK, and Dnipro Kherson in Ukraine, as well as one season with the Finnish club Ketterä. Vorona joined Polonia at the end of May, following a previous season with Toruń. In 45 games for Toruń, he scored 9 goals and recorded 26 assists.
Both players have become key figures for the Ukrainian national team, which recently earned promotion to the World Championship’s elite division for the first time in 20 years. At the 2026 World Championship Division IA, Hrebenyk played all five tournament games, scoring 1 goal and adding 1 assist, while Vorona contributed six assists. In Polonia, the Ukrainians will share the ice with national team goaltender Bohdan Diachenko, who joined the club ahead of the 2025/26 season. Diachenko recently extended his contract with Polonia through 2028.
Polonia’s Roster and Ukraine’s National Team Success
Ukrainian forward Ruslan Padakin also remains with Polonia. Last season, the Bytom-based team finished seventh in the Polish Extraleague and was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Polonia has won the Polish championship six times in its history.
Ukraine’s national team will return to the elite division in 2027 after a 20-year absence. The 2027 Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled to take place in Germany from May 14 to 30. Ukraine has been placed in Group A, where their opponents will be:
- Germany
- Finland
- Switzerland
- Sweden
- Latvia
- Austria
- Slovenia
All Group A matches will be held at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf. Germany chose to be in Group A, swapping places with Slovakia, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming tournament.
The transfers of Hrebenyk and Vorona to Polonia highlight the growing presence of Ukrainian hockey players on the international stage and strengthen the Polish squad. Given Ukraine’s recent national team success, such moves could help develop Ukrainian hockey overall, as players gain experience in more competitive environments. Participation in the World Championship’s elite division also opens new career opportunities for Ukrainian players and raises the level of play back home.
As Polonia Bytom prepares for the upcoming season with its new Ukrainian talents, the national team is also gearing up for a significant challenge. The Ukrainian ice hockey team has learned its opponents for the 2027 World Championship, marking an important return to the elite division. This tournament will provide an opportunity for players like Hrebenyk and Vorona to showcase their skills on an international stage alongside their teammates.