Yurii Pidhornyi, a mixed martial arts coach, was killed while performing a combat operation.
He was born on 17 October 1983, and lived in the village of Shabo, Odesa region. There he realised his talent for sports. He went in for mixed martial arts, won a medal at the Ukrainian championship and became a regional champion. He devoted his entire life to his favourite pastime and the education of young athletes. Yurii worked as a coach at the Ukrainian Federation of Mixed Martial Arts in Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district. He was a well-known mentor, a very kind and bright man. He always cared about the health of his students and was a real example for them.
From the first days of the full-scale Russian invasion, Yurii did not hesitate to leave his favourite job and stand up for Ukraine. As a member of our army, he bravely repelled enemy attacks in difficult areas of the frontline. On 17 October 2023, he celebrated his 40th birthday and less than a month after his birthday, he died from a gunshot wound in a firefight. The tragedy happened on 13 November near the village of Novoraysk, Kherson region. On 17 November, the Hero was laid to rest by his family, friends, acquaintances and students in the village of Shabo…