Ministry of Veterans Affairs hosts final of all-Ukrainian Veterans’ Games in Kyiv

The Veterans' Games, organized by the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs of Ukraine, were held in Kyiv from December 6 to 8. This sporting event marked the conclusion of competitions among veterans and military personnel.

Rubryka reports this, referring to the press service of the Veterans' Games.

Military personnel, war veterans, and individuals discharged from military service or served in law enforcement agencies attended the games. Many of them had sustained injuries, wounds, or illnesses while performing official duties in a combat zone.

At the regional level of the Veterans' Games in Odesa, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zhytomyr, and Kryvyi Rih, contestants battled for the title in "Crossfit" and "E-Sports" events. A total of 190 veterans from across Ukraine participated in the athletic competitions. The "Veterans Games" culminated in national-level competitions in the capital city.

"I am happy that we can support our soldiers, in particular, in this way, by organizing the Veterans Games competitions, and I sincerely hope that every year our family will grow, that our participants will bring their friends and comrades, those who serve and those who have already been discharged. So that everyone understands why sports are cool and important, why you need to develop physically, and what you can get in the end. So that every Ukrainian sees and follows the example of your mutual support," emphasized the Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, Nataliia Kalmykova, during the finals competitions.

Category "Crossfit"

Under the Crossfit division, contestants completed modified workouts incorporating weightlifting, cardio, and bodyweight exercises. Veterans were categorized into 13 groups depending on their physical abilities, and winners were determined based on the speed and amount of repetitions completed.

Winners in the Crossfit division:

Category H1

Women

• Yana Nikonova

Men

• Roman Tanasiychuk
• Hlib Halunko
• Valentyn Panasiuk

Category N1.1

• Artem Kamskov
• Serhii Mytsyk
• Serhii Sokol

Category R1

• Artem Zaviriukhin
• Serhii Dubov
• Oleksandr Ievtushenko

Category H2

• Anton Hladky
• Maksym Dmytrash
• Yurii Petrenko
• Maksym Huliy

Category S1

• Ievheniy Doroshko
• Oleh Shcherbak

Category N2

• Artem Skrypnyk
• Olekrandr Krekhalyov
• Yurii Litovchenko

Category R2

• Oleksandr Hriaznykh
• Oleksandr Khodos

Category NO

Women

• Yaryna Alimanova

Men

• Ievheniy Lysenko
• Oleh Morhun
• Viktor Shynkaruk

Category N2.2

• Vadym Hilchuk
• Denys Lytvynov
• Artem Peredereiev

Category WO

• Nazar Vozniuk
• Mykhailo Sereda
• Denys Smolnikov

Category N1

• Mykola Zaritsky
• Pavlo Tikhonivsky
• Vladyslav Shatiyo

Category RO

• Ievheniy Dmytruk
• Ihor Troyan
• Andrii Zabolotny
• Eduard Saenko

Category W1

• Ievheniy Fedoseienko
• Mykhailo Damaskin

Category "E-Sports"

In the "E-Sports" category, experienced players and military members battled it out in well-known video games such as Dota 2, Counter–Strike 2, and EA FC 25. In specific categories, participants were randomly grouped into teams.

Winners in the discipline "E-Sports":

EA FC 25

• Pavlo Tykhonovsky
• Vladislav Lisnichuk
• Dmytro Chaika

Dota 2

"Team Malta Style"

• Mykhailo Damaskin
• Ievheniy Ivanov
• Andrii Berezhny
• Illia Haiduk
• Mykyta Rud

Counter-Strike 2

"Non Stop"

• Oleksii Tiukhtiy
• Taras Specialny
• Rostyslav Kvachan
• Vladyslav Yezyk
• Yaroslav Posheliuzhy

"Thanks to the determination and dedication of our participants and their passion for promoting national initiatives, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs successfully launched the Veterans' Games. This project has the potential to expand internationally in the future, as Ukraine is home to veterans with invaluable combat experience. Despite the challenges they have faced, this experience has equipped them with the ability to educate others and positively impact the world," the Deputy Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Ukraine, Ruslana Velychko-Tryfoniuk, noted.

For reference:

The contest was organized as a component of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs initiative "Development of Sports for Veterans," which aligns with the implementation of Ukraine's National Strategy for Achieving a Barrier-Free Environment by 2025–2026. First Lady Olena Zelenska spearheaded this strategy.

Rubyrka's photo correspondent, Mykola Tymchenko, attended the event.

It should be noted that the Arnold Classic Europe international sports competition among war veterans and wounded service members has ended in Spain. The Ukrainian national team participated in these competitions for the first time and won a record 188 medals:

• 84 gold,
• 58 silver,
• 46 bronze.

In addition, fifty veterans in Lviv competed for the fourth Warriors' Cup – the regional championship in adaptive sports.