Born in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Oleh Kulish was an International Master of Sport in Mixed Martial Arts and a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. His life became a testament to unwavering devotion to his homeland and an enduring example of self-sacrifice for the future of his country.
Oleh Kulish was born in Kryvyi Rih in 1996. The city shaped his childhood and youth. He completed his schooling there before enrolling at Kryvyi Rih National University. It was also there that his father, Stanislav, introduced him to his first sports club. From that moment on, sport became an inseparable part of Oleh’s life: boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, and above all, mixed martial arts.
Training at the Tiger Club under coach Ihor Smahlii, the young athlete developed into a world-class MMA fighter and earned the title of International Master of Sport in Mixed Martial Arts. His achievements included victories at World and European Championships, top finishes at numerous professional tournaments, and medals at IMMAF and WWFC championships.
His wife, Maryna, recalls: “Oleh was always incredibly determined. His character allowed him to pursue his goals no matter the obstacles. Even when he began his career without major victories or remarkable achievements, he never gave up. It was those exceptional qualities that ultimately led him to great success in sport. He worked tirelessly for many years to earn that recognition.”
Oleh first joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine during the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO), while serving his compulsory military service. It was then that he received the callsign “Fizruk” (“PE Teacher”), as his comrades remembered him spending countless hours in the gym. He also encouraged his fellow servicemen to train, motivating them through both his guidance and his personal example. Even while serving, he always found opportunities to compete in sporting events.
Maryna remembers: “After completing his service, he dreamed of starting his own business. He had countless ideas, but above all he wanted to stay at home. He used to say that it didn’t matter what kind of job he had—as long as he could sleep in his own bed.”
Sadly, that period of peaceful life proved to be short-lived. Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Oleh once again took up arms. On April 1, 2022, he joined the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade named after Kosh Otaman Ivan Sirko, serving with the rank of Senior Soldier. He fought in assault units as a senior rifleman, gunner, and driver before mastering the role of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilot. His comrades remembered him as a dependable friend and brother-in-arms who could always be relied upon in the most difficult situations and whose word was absolute.
Maryna recalls: “Oleh rarely spoke about his service. Most often he talked about the horrific conditions they had to endure on the front line. He also spoke about the cats that lived in the trenches at ‘ground zero’ and became constant companions to our soldiers, because he loved animals deeply. When he did mention the hardest moments, he recalled how an enemy strike landed just nearby, killing their commander, callsign ‘Tykhyi’ (‘Quiet One’), while the rest of the unit suffered concussions. Afterwards, they risked everything to recover their commander’s body so that he would not be left behind on the position.”
Long months and years spent on the front line, at the very edge of the battlefield, without rotations or respite, inevitably took a devastating toll on his health. Under the relentless strain of constant stress, Oleh developed a life-threatening illness that ultimately proved incurable. On April 1, 2026, he passed away.
To his family, friends, and brothers-in-arms, he will forever remain a kind, sincere, and dependable person whose support could always be counted upon.
Heroes are never forgotten. They live on through their deeds, their victories, their courage, and in the memories of those for whom they fought. This is how Oleh Kulish will always be remembered.
May his memory be eternal.