As the World Awaits Olympics 2024, Russian Missiles Kill Ukrainian Athletes and Destroy Sports Infrastructure

This summer, the Olympic games—a symbol of hope, unity, and athletic excellence—are coming to Paris. But the reality for Ukrainian athletes is far from the ideals the sporting event represents. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation on February 24, 2022, countless war crimes have been committed against Ukraine's sports community, from the destruction of sports infrastructure to the tragic loss of athletes' lives, as documented in a new report by the Office of the General Prosecutor of Ukraine.  

Ukrainian sports infrastructure destroyed as a result of Russian war crimes:

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the Russian Federation has wreaked havoc on Ukrainian sports infrastructure, causing extensive damage and destruction. International Law strictly forbids the bombardment of housing, civilian objects, and infrastructure—including sports facilities.

The scale of devastation is staggering and underscores the brutal impact on the sports community and the country's infrastructure. The Russian army has destroyed or damaged 518 objects of sport infrastructure:

• Kyiv Region: 7 incidents.

• Chernihiv Region: 10 incidents.

• Sumy Region: 12 incidents.

• Kharkiv Region: 172 incidents.

• Luhansk Region: 101 incidents.

• Odesa Region: 5 incidents.

• Mykolaiv Region: 25 incidents.

• Dnipro Region: 19 incidents.

• Zaporizhzhya Region: 7 incidents.

• Donetsk Region: 73 incidents.

• Kherson Region: 81 incidents.

• Zhytomyr Region: 6 incidents.

In total, over 175,000 civilian objects have been damaged or destroyed as a result of the crimes committed by the Russian occupiers. These include residential buildings, training and educational institutions, medical institutions, cultural objects, and others.

Ukrainian athletes who were killed as a result of Russian war crimes:

The war crimes committed by Russia have led to the tragic deaths of at least 50 Ukrainian athletes. One of the first victims was Stepan Chubenko, a 16-year-old goalkeeper for “Kramtorsk FC.” He was brutally detained and killed by DNR militants in July 2014 for his pro-Ukrainian stance. Many more lives of athletes were cut short by Russia since then.

Russian Strike on a Residential Building in Dnipro, on 14 January 2023, claimed the lives of:

• Valentyn Vozniuk: A 75-year-old athletics coach.

• Mykhailo Korenovskyi: A 39-year-old boxing coach and head coach of the national team of the Dnipropetrovsk Region.

• Anastasia Ihnatenko: A 27-year-old acrobatics coach and master of sports.

• Maria Lebed: A 15-year-old dance sports participant and 9th-grade student.

Other athletes who were killed as a result of Russia’s war crimes include Artem Pryimenko, a young Sambo wrestler; Viktor Kobzysty, a basketball player and coach; and Victoria Kotlyarova, a football player. Their deaths were the result of indiscriminate shelling and rocket attacks that have plagued the country.

Victims in the Kyiv Region:

The Kyiv region has witnessed its own share of tragedies, with several athletes losing their lives due to Russian war crimes:

• Oleksii Dzhunkivskyi: A 39-year-old boxer and children's coach, shot dead in his boxing club in Irpin in March 2022.

• Nikita Bobrov: An 18-year-old rugby player, killed alongside his family by the Russian army.

• Oleksandr Suhenko: A 25-year-old footballer, abducted from his home and shot dead with his parents.

• Oleksandr Ivashchyk: A 42-year-old footballer and volunteer, shot while evacuating people from Irpin.

Siege of Mariupol:

During the brutal siege of Mariupol, several young athletes were killed amidst the systematic shelling of civilian infrastructure:

• Alina Peregudova: A 14-year-old weightlifting champion, a candidate for the national team, who died with her family.

• Kateryna Dyachenko: An 11-year-old gymnast and national competition participant, killed along with her entire family.

• Yevhen Obedinsky: A 38-year-old water polo player and champion of Ukraine.

• Oleksiy Kupyrev: A 46-year-old boxer and coach, European youth boxing champion, who also lost his life during the siege.

Involvement of Russian sports clubs:

The Central Sports Club of the Russian Army (CSKA) and its officials have been directly implicated in the invasion of Ukraine. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of CSKA, who is also a Deputy Minister of Defense, is under international sanctions for his involvement. This high-level participation underscores the intersection between sports and military aggression in Russia.

Notably, 88% of the medals won by Russian athletes at the Beijing Olympics in 2022 were by those representing security forces involved in the war against Ukraine. The Russian Minister of Defense and the President have awarded these athletes military ranks and state honors, highlighting the militarization of sports in Russia.

The deliberate targeting of athletes and sports infrastructures by the Russian Federation has had a devastating impact on Ukrainian sports and its community. The systematic destruction of facilities, coupled with the tragic loss of life, underscores the brutal nature of this war. The international community continues to seek justice for these war crimes, aiming to hold those responsible accountable for their actions.