Ukraine Olympian Oleksandr Pielieshenko Killed in Russian War

Oleksandr Pielieshenko, a Ukrainian Olympic weightlifter, died at the age of 30 while fighting on the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF) announced on Monday, per ABC News.

"It is with great sadness that we inform you that the heart of merited master of sports of Ukraine... Oleksandr Pielieshenko has stopped beating today," the UWF said in a post on Facebook. "We express our sincere condolences to the family and everyone who knew Oleksandr."

"From the first days of the full-scale invasion, Oleksandr joined the ranks of the Armed Forces," Ukraine's National Olympic Committee posted on social media. Yesterday we received the sad news of his death. The Olympic family send its condolences to the athlete's family, friends and relatives. Bright and eternal memory of the Hero!"

According to Sean Ingle of The Guardian, Pielieshenko is the first Olympian to die in the Russia-Ukraine War. Ukrainian Olympic weightlifter Vladyslav Heraskevych told Ingle that around 450 Ukrainians who participated in professional sports had now died in the war.

"These people should be developing sports in our country and living their lives, but now they are being killed," Heraskevych said. "At the same time Russian athletes who support the war are now competing in international sports. I can't understand how that is possible. This is madness."

The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine said in its tribute to Pielieshenko that he had joined the armed forces in the early days of the Russian invasion.

"War takes the best of us... I express my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Alexander! This is a very heavy loss for the entire heavyweight community of Ukraine. Heroes do not die," said weightlifting coach and UWF board member Viktor Slobodianiuk.

Pielieshenko represented Ukraine at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and placed fourth in the men's 85 kg category. He also won gold at the European championships in 2016 and 2017. However, a failed drug test caused him to be banned in 2018, and he did not compete again.