Mariupol athlete Oleksandr Suprunov gave his life for Ukraine. He was a multiple champion of national and international WTKA kickboxing competitions.
In 2019, at the Ukrainian Kickboxing Championship, he earned a silver medal in the semi-contact category and a bronze in low-kick light. During that time, he was coached by Mykhailo Zatsepin.
He was also a fighter with the Special Operations Center “Alpha” of the Security Service of Ukraine in Donetsk region, holding the rank of Major.
Oleksandr participated in the defense of the Mariupol Azovstal steel plant, where Ukrainian soldiers heroically held off the overwhelming enemy forces. The city had been encircled since March 2. Oleksandr did not manage to break through the siege and perished in the city alongside thousands of civilians and Ukrainian servicemen.
Initially, Oleksandr was listed as missing after a bombardment, but his death was later confirmed.
He was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage, Third Class.