On June 25, 2022, in a brutal battle for the village of Potemkyne in the Beryslav district of Kherson region, Ukrainian soldier and athlete Valerii Tiasko tragically lost his life.
From a young age, he dedicated himself to sports, with volleyball becoming his true calling. Valerii graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education (Volleyball) at the Prydniprovska State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports (formerly the Dnipropetrovsk State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports), where he studied from 2003 to 2007.
When Russian invaders launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Valerii did not hesitate to defend his homeland. The very next day, he voluntarily joined the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders. Just as he had on the volleyball court, he gave his all on the battlefield, fighting for the independence and future of Ukraine.
His final journey home was met with a living corridor of mourners in his native village of Zhemchuzhne, Dnipropetrovsk region. His fellow villagers paid their last respects, honoring their fallen Hero.
Eternal memory and glory to the warrior! Heroes never die!