On April 26, the Starytskyi Theater in Khmelnytskyi hosted the M13 FIGHTS tournament, dedicated to the memory of Hero of Ukraine and special forces soldier Kostyantyn Mykhalchuk, known by his call sign "General."
The competition featured boxing matches, jiu-jitsu, and medieval knightly battles in armor. The most impressive part was the bare-knuckle fights, which also included servicemen with amputations.
Six pairs of fighters from various units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces entered the ring, including:
- the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Airborne Forces;
- the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade;
- the 31st Separate Mechanized Brigade and a reconnaissance company;
- representatives of "Azov" and the "Timur" special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
According to league founder Artem Grot, the tournament’s goal is to honor the memory of fallen comrades and promote strength. “The stronger and more united the population is, the fewer wars there will be. Only the weak are attacked,” he said.
Serhiy Tyurin, head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional State Administration, noted that martial arts are very popular among veterans, and adaptive sports such as sitting volleyball and amputee soccer are actively developing in the region, helping military personnel with rehabilitation.
