Let’s bow our heads. The boxing coach went through Afghanistan, ATO and died near Vugledar

Every day at 9 in the morning, Ukrainians honor the memory of people whose lives were taken by the Russian-Ukrainian war. Today, Sport.ua remembers boxing coach Oleksandr Vorobyov, who in his youth had the misfortune of fighting in Afghanistan, and with the beginning of the modern war, even before it became full-scale, defended Ukraine in the ranks of the Right Sector. A 55-year-old soldier died exactly three years ago, on January 29, 2023, near Vugledar in Donetsk region.

Career Oleksandr Vorobyov was born on March 2, 1967 in the village of Novopoltavka, Bashtan district, Mykolaiv region. In 1980, Oleksandr and his family settled in Horishnyi Plavnyi, Poltava region, there he graduated from the local school and entered the school specializing in “assistant locomotive driver”. After reaching his 18th birthday, Vorobyov completed military service and was a participant in hostilities in Afghanistan.

Track in sports Oleksandr practiced boxing from a young age. As an athlete, he did not achieve any notable successes, but he found himself in the field of coaching. The start of the coaching activity began with studies at the Cherkasy State Pedagogical Institute with the specialty “Physical Culture Teacher”. After that, Vorobyov worked in the village of Chornobay in Cherkasy Oblast as a boxing coach and as the founder and head of the military-patriotic club “Volya Kholodny Yaru”. His wards have repeatedly won championships of Ukraine and international competitions.

Combat experience and death In 2014, Oleksandr joined the ranks of the Right Sector, and from 2017 to 2021, he volunteered to fight in the east of Ukraine. In the army, he had the call sign Ptakh. I was going to demobilize, but because of the dung country from the northeast, it was not possible to do this.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, Vorobyov took up arms again. He was the commander of the rifle division of the 157th battalion of the 118th separate territorial defense brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Comrades remember that Oleksandr was surrounded by the enemy several times, but always returned almost unscathed.

Until the last, everyone hoped that a miracle would happen this time, but on January 29, 2023, during a combat mission near Vugledar in Donetsk region, 55-year-old Oleksandr Vorobyov was mortally wounded by mortar fire.

“Trokhimovych’s training provided for the tactics of fighting in the city, on open and rugged terrain, leaving the environment, offensive, reconnaissance. He perfectly mastered all types of cold and firearms and skillfully passed on his experience to the youth. The skills and knowledge gained during the training have repeatedly saved the lives of our soldiers. Oleksandr Trokhimovych himself was an extremely modest person. On the site of the school, Trokhimovych planted a young orchard, this was his second dream, after the Victory. The garden has taken root and will bloom already in the spring, and will bear juicy fruits in the fall,” wrote Roman Sushchenko, the deputy head of the Cherkasy Regional Council and a friend of the deceased.

The soldier was buried in the village of Salivka, Kremenchug District, Poltava Region.

Oleksandr is survived by a daughter.

On December 14, 2023, by decision of the Chornobayiv settlement council session, Sportivna Street in Chornobay was renamed Oleksandr Vorobyov Street. Three days later, a memorial plaque in honor of the soldier was opened in Chornobay.

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