The World Thai boxing champion died in the fighting for Mariupol

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO - Tuesday, 24 May 2022, 19:10

Oleksii Yanin, the Ukrainian kickboxing champion and the world champion in Thai boxing (Muay Thai) died in the fighting for Mariupol. He served in the Special Operations Detachment "Azov" of the National Guard of Ukraine.

Source: Ministry of Youth and Sport

Details: Yanin was killed on the night of 6-7 April in Mariupol during military operations; the Ministry made this information public on 24 May.

For nine years, Yanin was a boxer. When he was 21 he took up Thai boxing.

In 2014, when Russia occupied Crimea and unleashed the war in Donbas, Oleksii joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a volunteer and, when he returned from active service, he continued to defend his homeland in the "Azov" detachment.

Yanin encountered the full-scale invasion of the Russian aggressors in eastern Ukraine and was one of the heroes of the defence of Mariupol. 

Oleksii is survived by his wife Tamara and son Nazarii.