The 30 year old two-time European champion Pielieshenko enlisted in the military shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, according per the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
Viktor Slobodianiuk, a board member of the Ukrainian Weightlifting Federation (UWF) and a weightlifting instructor, stated, “Heroes do not die, war takes the best of us.”
Pielieshenko passed away in combat, the UWF continued.
In the 85kg division, he finished fourth at the Rio Games and took home gold at the 2016 and 2017 European Championships.
Pielieshenko failed a drug test in 2018, which resulted in his subsequent ban.
We regret to notify you that the deserving maestro of sports has passed away.
