Taras Stepanenko spoke about his move from Eyüpspor to Kolos Kovalivka, stating that he terminated his contract with the Turkish club on February 18. He said the reason for the termination was significant payment arrears and the lack of response to his lawyer's letters. Stepanenko noted that after he got the opportunity to negotiate with clubs, Kolos was the first to send a contract a few hours later on the same day they offered cooperation. He mentioned that his experience in Turkey was not successful, so he had to leave the club and return home, and that he requested a contract until the summer for the purpose of playing football. Stepanenko has passed the medical examination and started training with his new team.

Taras Stepanenko revealed that a difficult situation at Eyüpspor forced him to terminate his contract with the club. The first club he held talks with was Kolos, and the contract was ready by the evening.

Kolos officially announced the transfer of Taras Stepanenko on the first day of spring 2026. While at Eyupspor in Turkey, Stepanenko experienced injuries and unstable salary payments. The transfer was beneficial for the Turkish club, as the Istanbul club would no longer have to pay his salary. According to unofficial information, his salary was one of the highest in the team. Stepanenko received a contract with Kolos that likely had a lower salary than at Eyupspor.

Taras Stepanenko is returning to Ukraine to play for Kolos Kovalivka. Stepanenko previously played for Eyüpspor after his departure from Shakhtar in January 2025. The details of his agreement have not been disclosed.