(MENAFN- UkrinForm) According to Ukrinform, the DIU reported this on Facebook.

“More than 30 shooters from across Ukraine took part in the tournament dedicated to the fallen sniper from Poltava region, Valerii Netudykhatko, known by the call sign Mishania. Valerii served in the DIU special unit Artan and was killed during a special operation in Crimea,” the statement reads.

DIU fighters organized the tournament to honor their fallen comrade and to raise support for the Artan special unit.

Participants included service members of the Security and Defense Forces, veterans of the Russo-Ukrainian war, and civilians.

The commander of the fallen soldier emphasized that Junior Sergeant Valerii Netudykhatko was awarded the title Hero of Ukraine deservedly, as he sacrificed the most precious thing – his own life – to save his brothers-in-arms.

“At that time, Artan wasn't yet the powerful force it is today. Valerii was the lead sniper, brave and courageous. He cared deeply about the unit, trained others, and always went into the hardest operations. He died during the 'Crimean operation,' covering the guys,” said the commander of the Artan X unit, known by the call sign Favorit.

At the tournament's opening, special forces operators showed participants and guests the weapon with which Junior Sergeant Netudykhatko went into his final battle.

“Valerii is someone we never speak about in the past tense. We draw inspiration from his heroism. I keep his rifle as a symbol of the fight against evil,” said a comrade with the call sign Eneiko.

Shooters competed in four exercises at distances up to 800 meters, testing accuracy, speed, and skill.

The victory in the most challenging discipline, The Duel, was claimed by a fighter of the DIU special unit Kraken, with the call sign Khor.

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Ukrainian sniper and long-range accuracy record holder (3,800 meters) Viacheslav Kovalskyi also demonstrated his skills at the tournament.

“Taking part in such tournaments is a great honor for me, because it shows how important every person's contribution is to our shared victory. It inspires us to become better at what we do and gives us the chance to meet those we might otherwise not see for months or even years,” Kovalskyi emphasized.

Winners received medals, cups, and special gear, while the winner of The Duel was awarded an air rifle engraved with:“Shooting Tournament. In Memory of Mishania.”

As reported by Ukrinform earlier, Kyiv recently hosted the first football tournament for veterans of defense intelligence, dedicated to Artan fighter Maksym Vilchynskyi, known by the call sign Sonik.

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