A meeting took place in Kharkiv between the head of the Kharkiv Oblast Veterans Association, Oleg Synyegubov, and representatives of the Kharkiv Oblast Football Association, amputee football team FC "Invincible," and public organizations with a veteran and sports focus.

As of today, over 105 thousand war veterans are registered in the Kharkiv region. Among them — 72,5 thousand participants in combat operations, more than 7 thousand individuals with disabilities, as well as over 13 thousand members of families of those killed.

"Our goal is to provide comprehensive support for veterans and veteran women, and the development of adaptive sports is an integral part of this process. The Kharkiv OVA maximally facilitates the creation in the region of such conditions so that as many veterans and individuals with disabilities as possible have the opportunity to participate in active sporting life," — noted Oleg Synyegubov.

Photo by KhOFA

Participants of the meeting discussed the needs of the veteran sports community in Kharkiv region — equipment and supplies for athletes with disabilities, logistics for participation in training camps, and informational support to popularize sports among veterans and civilians with disabilities.

In 2025, from the regional budget, a comprehensive Support Program for Defenders and Defender Women of Ukraine is planned at 190.7 million hryvnia, of which almost 46 million hryvnia have already been used in the first half-year. Local budgets have allocated over 208 million hryvnia for corresponding initiatives.

Photo by KhOFA

At the initiative of the Kharkiv OVA, people with amputations already have the opportunity to visit swimming pools free of charge — currently 13 facilities in the Kharkiv region are ready to conduct corresponding physical rehabilitation classes under the supervision of specialists.

"We call on communities to unite efforts to create an accessible sports environment. We provide methodological support for launching similar initiatives. This is not just about physical training or competitions. It is a powerful tool for rehabilitation and social adaptation of those who defended Ukraine," — added the head of the Kharkiv OVA.