591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed during the war
- Svitlana Ivanchenko
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19:32, 07 April, 2025
Photos of the deceased athletes and coaches. Photo: NOC of UkraineAs of March this year, 591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches were killed during the war, 22 are in Russian captivity, and 11 are missing.
This was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
«As of March 2025, 591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches were killed by Russia, 22 are in captivity, and 11 are missing. 725 sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed by Russian attacks, including 17 Olympic, Paralympic and Deaflympic training bases», the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry noted that for decades, Russia has used sports for propaganda, with 10 of the 15 Russian athletes competing under a neutral flag at the 2024 Olympics in Paris either publicly supporting the war or being linked to the military.
«Russian sport is not separated from the state — it is one of the tools used to justify and incite aggression. Those who say that sport should be out of politics must also recognise that Russia uses sport as a political weapon», the agency said.
As reported, on 5 June 2023, Mykolaiv coach and multiple powerlifting champion Oleksii Sliushchenko, who defended Ukraine in the ranks of the 123rd Brigade based in Mykolaiv region, died near Kherson.