Presenter reads names of Ukrainian athletes killed in invasion, says “more than 600” have died

An unidentified presenter read a list of Ukrainian athletes and coaches who, the presenter said, have been killed during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The reading included children and teenage athletes as well as national and international champions. The presenter named 9-year-old judoka Ivashko from Kyiv and 11-year-old gymnast Ekaterina Dyachenko of Mariupol, saying Dyachenko died during the city's siege. Other named victims included teenage and adult athletes killed by rockets and aerial bombs or while serving at the front, and several were described as national champions or international competitors.

Why it matters: The list underscores the human and cultural toll the conflict has taken on Ukraine’s sporting community, from youth competitors to elite athletes and coaches. The presenter summarized the reading by stating, in Russian, "За время полномасштабного вторжения России в Украину погибли более 600 украинских спортсменов и тренеров" ("During the full‑scale Russian invasion of Ukraine more than 600 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have died"). That aggregate figure was given as part of the reading and has not been independently verified by this report.

Details from the reading: Examples cited included Ivashko, a 9‑year‑old judoka from Kyiv whose home was struck by Iskander missile debris; Ekaterina Dyachenko, an 11‑year‑old gymnast from Mariupol who died during the siege; Nazar Zuy, 13, whose home in Mariupol was hit by an aerial bomb; Alina Peregudova, 14, a weightlifter and Ukrainian champion from Mariupol who died in spring 2022; and other athletes described as champions, Olympiad medalists or members of national teams who were killed in battle or by strikes. The presenter repeatedly linked individual names to the reported cause or location of death as the names were read.

The reading included athletes from multiple regions (Kyiv, Mariupol, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Bakhmut, Pokrovsk, Severodonetsk, Luhansk region and others) and covered a range of sports (judo, gymnastics, boxing, football, weightlifting, ballroom dance, kickboxing, biathlon, figure skating, powerlifting, athletics, shooting, dance sport, strongman competitions, hockey and diving). It also mentioned a trainer connected to Invictus Games teams and several athletes described as champions at national or European levels.

What was not established in the recording: The presenter’s summary number — "more than 600" — was read aloud as part of the list; this article attributes that figure to the presenter and does not independently confirm it. No institutional source (for example, a sports federation or government database) was cited in the reading to verify the aggregate toll.

The reading concluded with the presenter’s statement of the total and no additional context or sources were provided in the recording.