The Minister of Physical Culture and Sports Matvii Bidnyi awarded the DIU employee Andrii Savenko with the honorary insignia “Badge of Honour” for his significant personal contribution to the development of Ukrainian sport. In total, 209 people were honoured with this award.

Multiple World and European champion in combat Jiu Jitsu, Honoured Worker of Physical Culture and Sports, Honoured Coach, Honoured Master of Sports of Ukraine, Vice President of the All-Ukrainian Federation of Hand-to-Hand Fighting – has been defending Ukraine since 2014. He was one of those who defended Donetsk airport, Bakhmut and other cities in eastern Ukraine. He took part in the defence of Kyiv region... He was wounded, but despite this, he never gave up sports, on the contrary, he won all possible awards in his category.

Defeating an opponent on the battlefield – finding his strengths and weaknesses, just like in the ring – is a method that Andrii Savenko, the employee of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, transferred from sports to war.

“Sport strengthens character and allows a person to act more confidently and decisively in the fight against the enemy,” the intelligence man is convinced.

In 2015, he began organising annual sports tournaments to honour the memory of fallen heroes.

“I decided to hold Ukrainian defenders Remembrance Championships, including renowned intelligence officers, such as Heroes of Ukraine Maksym Shapoval, Valerii Chybinieiev and others, so that people know and do not forget what they fought for,” said Andrii Savenko.

We sincerely congratulate the champion on the award and thank him for setting a worthy example and motivating new generations!