Ukrainian diving champion Mykyta Kozubenko dies in combat

The Ukrainian Sports Committee announced the tragic news on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

Born and raised in Mykolaiv, Kozubenko began practicing sports from a young age and dedicated many years of his life to it. Since 2017, he had worked as a diving coach and held a second-level coaching qualification. In 2018, he graduated from Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University.

"All of this — studying, sports, training, mentoring youth — was his true life," the committee wrote. "In the country's most difficult time, Mykyta took up arms to defend his native land."

He died at the age of 31.