Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine Kills Weightlifter Oleksandr Pielieshenko

Ukrainian weightlifter, Oleksandr Pielieshenko has become the latest casualty in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine which started in 2022.

Oleksandr Pielieshenko was one of the most prominent sportsmen in Ukraine. During his active days, he won two European championships.

Pielieshenko represented Ukraine in the 2016 Rio Olympics where he finished 4th in the weightlifting category. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old weightlifter had to be forced to bow out of the sport in 2018 when he found himself in a doping scandal.

Even though he was humiliated out of sporting activities in Ukraine in his prime, he decided to fight for the country against the Russian army.

Despite his stardom, he reportedly fought in the frontline with Ukrainian armed forces where he lost his life earlier this week.

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine confirmed the demise of Oleksandr Pielieshenko via a statement on its official Facebook page.

The Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF) wrote, “It is with great sadness that we inform you that the heart of a merited master of sports of Ukraine… Oleksandr Pielieshenko has stopped beating today.”

In a tribute to Pielieshenko, weightlifting coach and board member of the UWF, Viktor Slobodianiuk, wrote, “War takes the best of us… heroes do not die.”