He served as a sniper with the Aidar battalion: 23-year-old Ukrainian athletics champion killed near Bakhmut
Athlete Bohdan Khodakovskyi gave his life for Ukraine in the battles against the Russian occupiers in the Donetsk region. The national pole vault champion was fighting as part of the Aidar battalion in one of the hottest areas, Bakhmut.
The tragedy occurred on May 15 near the fortress city of Bakhmut, which Russian troops have been unable to take for over 9 months. On March 1, Bohdan was only 23 years old, and two and a half months later he was killed during a combat mission.
Bohdan Khodakovskyi
Source: Antonina Nalbandian's Facebook
"Despite his young age, Bohdan was a sniper. He proved himself to be a true athlete - brave, courageous - a defender of his homeland," the Ukrainian Athletics Instagram page says.
News of the death of Bohdan Khodakovskyi.
Source: athletics_in_ua
Khodakovskyi was born in Uzyn, Bila Tserkva district, Kyiv region. In recent years, the athlete lived in the village of Chupyra, where, according to his fellow countrymen, he left fond memories in everyone's hearts.
Since childhood, Bohdan has been involved in athletics and competed in competitions as part of the Kyiv region team. He trained with Yuriy Blonsky. Khodakovskyi repeatedly became a winner and prize-winner of the Ukrainian pole vaulting championships.
Pole vaulter Bohdan Khodakovskyi.
Source: Ministry of Youth and Sports
Bohdan Khodakovskyi's awards.
Source: Ministry of Youth and Sports
And after the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, the 22-year-old volunteered to fight. The young athlete served as a sniper with the 24th Separate Assault Battalion "Aidar". Recently, together with his comrades, he performed combat missions in the Bakhmut sector.
Bohdan Khodakovskyi at the front.
Source: Iryna Khodakovska's Facebook
At the end of April, Bohdan's family and his mother launched a fundraising drive to buy a drone for the athlete's brigade. However, on May 15, the Ukrainian defender's life was cut short in the Donetsk region in another heavy battle with the Russian occupiers.
On May 20, the hero was laid to rest in his native Uzyn.
Bohdan Khodakovskyi with his brothers-in-arms.
Source: Iryna Khodakovska's Facebook
"It is very difficult to say goodbye to such a young man forever. The war took him away at the beginning of his life... Bitterness of loss, piercing pain that cannot be forgiven... I bow low to the parents who raised a true patriot!" said Bohdan's countryman Igor Ivanchenko.
Bohdan Khodakovskyi during his service.
Source: Ministry of Youth and Sports
Earlier, OBOZREVATEL reported that a 19-year-old hockey player who had been a soldier since childhood was killed during the storming of Russian positions near Bakhmut.
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