It has been nearly four years since Russia started its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict is still ongoing. Many tragic events have occurred during this time, including some unusual incidents. One that took place recently revolved around the former Ukrainian powerlifting champion, Yuliia Lemeshchenko. The athlete was brought in front of a Russian court, where she was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
Yuliia Lemeshchenko was reportedly charged with acts of sabotage and treason, among others. She held the Russian citizenship but reportedly tried to renounce it multiple times in an effort to formalize her Ukrainian nationality. Yuliia moved to Kharkiv around 2014 along with her husband and son, where she also ended up building her professional powerlifting career.
Yuliia Lemeshchenko was open about her pro-Ukrainian position throughout the years. So, when she was accused of sabotage, treason, and terrorism in Russia, Yuliia revealed that she did not feel morally guilty, since she saw Ukraine as her home and realized that Russian military procedures posed a threat to Kharkiv and the entire country. The prosecutors reportedly asked for a 23-year prison sentence for Yuliia Lemeshchenko, but the judges’ verdict revealed that she is set to spend 19 years in confinement.
The Ukrainian Powerlifting Federation has stood behind Yuliia Lemeshchenko on this matter, believing that the athlete was sentenced based on “politically motivated charges”. They also revealed suspicion that some documents that Yuliia signed were a result of coercion.
Check out UPF’s full statement here:
As the case stated, Yuliia Lemeshchenko allegedly received training in shooting, drone control, and making explosive devices while also having the potential to exploit her Russian citizenship. A translated clip of Yuliia Lemeshchenko’s final words in court has emerged, where she revealed her motives for joining the resistance against the Russian invasion.
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“I’ve taken a side. I am not a citizen of the country I have decided to fight for. Nevertheless, I consider Ukraine my home. I love this country, I love Kharkiv infinitely.”
After talking about the difficult periods that she experienced under the siege, Yuliia Lemeshchenko revealed that she felt compelled to do something against it instead of just watching from the sidelines.
“I couldn’t just stand by and watch. In any war, people who find themselves involved in it either try to fight or run away. I don’t know, maybe they ran away because of cowardice or weakness. I don’t consider myself a cowardly or weak person. I decided to fight against this—against Russian military aggression.
Perhaps what I’m saying is making my situation worse, but my honor and conscience are more important to me.”
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Yuliia Lemeshchenko has made a number of sanctioned powerlifting appearances, but her most prominent ones came at the Ukrainian Powerlifting Championships. Her greatest achievement came in 2021, when she managed to take gold in the 57-kilogram weight class and officially became the national champion.
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