The Russian war of aggression leaves behind several tragic stories. Many athletes have also defended Ukraine against the senseless attack.
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has also irreversibly affected the world of sports. Many athletes and promising athletes have lost their lives in the brutal invasion.
CNN already reported in August that 133 athletes and coaches had died in the war. Among other things, these athletes have died defending their country.
Ivan Bidnyak
Winner of the team shooting European Championship silver in 2013 Ivan Bidnyak died at the age of 36 in battle in the city of Kherson. When the war started, he returned to Ukraine after working abroad and joined the front as a volunteer.
Bidnyak, who appeared in several WC and EC competitions, was married and the father of a six-year-old son.
Oleksandr Kulyk
A cycling coach who has coached several Olympic medalists Oleksandr Kulyk died at the age of 65 while helping with evacuations in Kiev.
Coach’s son Andriy Kulyk is also a successful cyclist who won the national championship in 2019.
Alina Perehudova
A young weightlifting Olympic promise died at just 14 years old. Alina Perehudova won the Ukrainian under-17 championship in the under-40-kilogram category.
Perehudova and her mother died in the bombing in Mariupol.
Oleksiy Tsybko
Appeared 40 times in the Ukrainian Rugby Union national team Oleksiy Tsybko (bottom left in the image inset) also served as team captain. After his playing career, he served as the president of the sports association in 2005–2007.
He died at the age of 55 when Russia attacked the city of Butša.
It would be Dzhunkovskyi
Ukrainian boxer and boxing coach It would be Dzhunkovskyi was shot at a boxing gym in the town of Irpin near Kiev. Unarmed Dzhunkovskyi trained in the same gym even before the war.
He had medals from army boxing competitions, and he also coached junior boxers.
Yevhen Obedinskyi
Former captain of the Ukrainian national water polo team Yevhen Obedinskyi died in Mariupol during the Russian siege at the age of 39. Obedinsky’s 12-year-old daughter was injured by shrapnel and was taken to Russian-occupied Donetsk for treatment.
Oleksandr Serbinov
Runner Oleksandr Serbinov died in battle defending his country in Kharkiv. Serbinov won the Ukrainian championships in the 400 and 800 meters.
Lyudmila Chernetska
Bodybuilder Lyudmila Chernetska and his men were killed by rocket fire in Odessa. The couple was expecting a child. Chernetska was the champion of Odessa, and in the competition of the southern region she finished second.
A total of seven people died in the bombing.
The war has had a crushing effect on Ukrainian sports circles. Zumawire / MVphotos