23 June 2026
(PHOTO: Intent)
More than 200 war veterans and military personnel from all over Ukraine took part in the nationwide sports competition “Na Khvili 2.0,” which took place in Odesa on June 20–21.
An Intenta correspondent attended the event on one of those days.
Service members and veterans competed in basketball, wheelchair basketball, archery, rowing on exercise machines, and bocce.
Bocce is a ball game, a type of bowling sport, similar to bowls and pétanque; its origins date back to the ancient games of the Roman Empire. It is the most popular game in Italy, as well as in parts of Europe and in areas with large Italian immigrant populations, including Australia, North and South America, Venezuela, and Brazil. The sport is also very popular in Croatia, Slovenia, and southern France.
“This is my second time participating in these competitions, and I’m very pleased that our comrades are organizing such events for us. I hope the positive atmosphere from the competition will carry me through the whole year so I can come back next year. This year, I competed in basketball and bocce. I didn’t get to try archery because I ran out of time,” said the veteran with the call sign “Hottabich.”
However, his time in Odesa wasn’t limited to sports competitions.
“We rented a convertible and drove around the city—we were given a tour. And the beach is really nice. The water is warm, so it makes sense to come here to play sports,” the veteran noted.
The wheelchair basketball tournament, in which six teams (60 athletes) participated, took place in the sports hall of the Olympic Sports Training and Competition Center.
“Veterans came from all over Ukraine, and we formed the teams right here on the spot. This was to ensure there were no divisions—whether interregional, interagency, or by branch of service,” emphasized Arsen Ryaboshapko, one of the founders of the nonprofit organization “Free Warriors.”
The main goal of the competition is to promote the physical and psychological recovery of veterans and service members who were wounded while defending Ukraine, to popularize sports among veterans, to strengthen the veteran community, and to create a space for communication, support, and new opportunities.
Кирило Бойко