Ukrainian Veterans Win Bronze in Wheelchair Basketball at Invictus Games 2025

Ukrainians Artur Mylin and Illia Pylypenko won bronze medals in wheelchair basketball at the Invictus Games  2025 in Canada, the Basketball Federation of Ukraine announced on February 10.

This year marks the first-ever Winter Invictus Games, taking place in Canada from February 8 to 16, with over 550 wounded service members from 25 countries competing.

Each basketball match consisted of two 10-minute quarters. Mylin and Pylypenko played for the Afghanistan Unconquered 3 team, which topped Group C in the first stage of the tournament.

Ukraine’s national team also competed in the same group, defeating Colombia 12:6 but losing to Afghanistan Unconquered 3 by 4:10.

Illia Pylypenko, a Ukrainian Navy sailor and veteran from Odesa region, was wounded in September 2022 near Bilohirka, Kherson region, when his tank hit a landmine. He sees sports as a crucial part of rehabilitation and reintegration into civilian life.

On Instagram, he shared his emotions about winning bronze:

"In the morning, you step onto the court with a team you've never met before, not knowing where they’re from or how they play. Your only thought is to enjoy the game and have fun. By the evening, you're standing on the podium with a bronze medal around your neck.

This day will stay with me forever. The emotions I felt are beyond words. All I can say is—it was an incredible, exhilarating experience. I still can’t stop smiling as I write this."

Artur Mylin, a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier and veteran from Kyiv, was injured in October 2022 while on a combat mission near Terny, Donetsk region. He hopes to serve as an example for others, proving that life doesn’t end after a severe injury.

"You can overcome it—live fully, travel, and achieve great results in sports," he says.

Earlier in January, the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) organized the country’s first-ever amputee football tournament for amateur teams, titled the “Winter Cup of the League of the Mighty.”