Ukrainian Forces Take Out Three Russian Occupiers Who Once Competed in Sports

Eliminated Russian Invaders with Athletic Backgrounds

According to Главком: Ukraine’s defense forces have neutralized three Russian soldiers who previously pursued careers in sports. Among them were mixed martial arts fighter Dzhikhad Yunusov, football coach Georgiy Kamalov, and martial arts master Chingiz Dodiev. These individuals, each with a history in athletics, joined the armed conflict on Russia’s side.

Details on the Eliminated Invaders

• Dzhikhad Yunusov

  A Russian MMA fighter, Yunusov had been involved in the war against Ukraine for no more than a month. In late May 2026, he announced his decision to go to the front. Earlier, in Grozny, he was involved in a scandal when he assaulted an elderly neighbor in a stairwell, throwing coffee in her face and striking her. The woman’s daughter was also injured in the incident.

  Over his professional MMA career, he competed in 27 bouts, winning 19 and losing eight. Fighting under the nicknames Ivan the Terrible, Wild, and Angry, he used the call sign Beast during the war. He was killed while attempting an offensive.

• Georgiy Kamalov

  Georgiy Kamalov, 46, another Russian occupier, was also eliminated by Ukrainian forces. He played for the football team Era Vladivostok from 2003 to 2011, but ended his playing career due to injury and moved into coaching. Kamalov began his coaching work within the Era system, and in recent years worked with the football club Anri, guiding it to the level of the Russian Cup.

• Chingiz Dodiev

  Another eliminated occupier was Chingiz Dodiev, born on December 1, 1993, in the village of Baraghan, Kurumkansky District, Republic of Buryatia. He was a master of sports in hand-to-hand combat and a candidate for master of sports in army hand-to-hand combat.

  Dodiev was also a candidate for master of sports in universal karate Ukado/Kempo and held a black belt, 2nd dan, in self-defense. He was a three-time champion of the Russian Cup in universal karate, a two-time champion of the Northwestern region in hand-to-hand combat among law enforcement agencies, a three-time medalist of the Trans-Baikal Territory in army hand-to-hand combat, and a medalist of the Republic of Buryatia in combat sambo.

This incident highlights that the armed conflict in Ukraine involves not only professional soldiers but also civilians from various backgrounds, including sports. The elimination of such figures carries both symbolic and practical significance in the context of the war, underscoring how social and cultural factors influence modern military conflicts. It also points to the growing role of informal groups and individuals in the hostilities taking place on Ukrainian territory.

The ongoing conflict has seen not only military confrontations but also troubling incidents involving former athletes. For instance, a retired Russian volleyball champion recently made headlines for threatening his wife ahead of their divorce proceedings. This case highlights the complex and often violent personal lives of individuals with athletic backgrounds. To learn more about this alarming situation, read about the threatening behavior of a former sports star.