On August 21, the Palace of Sports in Kyiv hosted a hand-to-hand combat tournament for the Cup of the President of Ukraine among the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, law enforcement agencies and rescue services formed in accordance with the laws of Ukraine.
The championship is one of the largest and most spectacular sporting events organized with the support of the President of Ukraine, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, the State Security Department of Ukraine and the All-Ukrainian Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation.
The event was attended by honorary guests: Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, Vadym Huttsait, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Roman Mashovets, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Oleh Tatarov, MP, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Youth and Sportsб Vasyl Mokan, Head Department of State Security of Ukraine, Serhii Rud, President of the All-Ukrainian Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation, Yurii Radchenko and Federation leadership, Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, Mykola Balan, Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Serhii Daineko, Head of the Judicial Protection Service of Ukraine, Valerii Bondar, Head of the Main Operations Department of the State Bureau of Investigation, Ihor Heida, First Deputy Head of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Oleh Melchutskyi, Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Oleksandr Yakushev, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the National Police of Ukraine.
The tournament was also attended by representatives of international hand-to-hand combat federations, President of the International Budo Federation, Friedbert-Georg Niring, a delegation from Uzbekistan led by Rustam Eminzhanov and a delegation from Tajikistan led by Farkhod Ahmedchonov.
Roman Mashovets, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, wished the participants victories and read greetings from the President of Ukraine.
“Holding this sporting event is a good opportunity to demonstrate your skills, physical and psychological endurance, teamwork and personal achievements in this type of martial arts. I am convinced that each participant of the tournament on the way to his victory will show a real fighting spirit, the ability to fight and win,” the President’s welcoming speech said.
The head of the State Security Department of Ukraine, Major General Serhii Rud, addressed the participants and guests of the event with a solemn speech, wishing the participants good luck, worthy rivalry and brilliant sports victories, “It is martial arts that gives you the opportunity to harden yourself, to show your resilience, courage, bravery and professionalism”.
In turn, the President of the Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation, Yurii Radchenko, stressed that these prestigious competitions are a kind of Small Olympic Games for participants.
“I wish the athletes victory, the spectators – spectacular fights! May Ukraine and Ukrainian sports always win,” he wished those present on behalf of our Federation.
In total, 26 teams from the Main Intelligence Directorate, the State Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Execution of Criminal Punishments, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the State Emergency Service, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, and the National Police of Ukraine, Security Service of Ukraine, Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Judicial Protection Service of Ukraine, Department of State Protection of Ukraine competed in the tournament.
More than 100 athletes from various law enforcement agencies of Ukraine gathered at the arena to compete for the title of the strongest, in the sections “Dosed contact” and “Demonstration of applied equipment”.
Participants were supported by their colleagues, relatives and friends. The audience had the opportunity to see a demonstration performance by the orchestra of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Judging was provided by the All-Ukrainian Hand-to-Hand Combat Federation.
According to the results of the competition in the section “Dosed contact”, the first place was won by the team of the State Bureau of Investigation, the second place was won by the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the honorable third place went to the National Guard of Ukraine.
In the section “Demonstration of performances”, the first place was won by the team of the National Guard of Ukraine, the second and third places were shared by the teams of the Department of State Protection of Ukraine.
Hand-to-hand Combat is a unique sport that is an integral part of military training. It’s a sport that unites!
