«We ran for those who are no longer with us!»: Defence Intelligence veterans, LIMITLESS participants completed SPARTAN
KRAKEN veterans completed 5 kilometers and 20 obstacles
Limitless participants, veterans of the KRAKEN Active Operations Unit of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, who have amputations — Taras Prots, Serhii Shykun, Artem Malysh and Ihor Zabluda — completed SPARTAN WINTER. The competition took place in the Kyiv region on Saturday, December 6, and was held under the slogan “I RUN FOR”. For those who inspire, who wait, who are not near, and who are forever in our hearts.
The veterans completed the para-race: 5 kilometers and 20 obstacles.
“On the obstacle course, I was hit by flashbacks from wartime”
“On the obstacle course, when we had to crawl, I sometimes caught flashbacks from military times. But overall, everything was at the highest level of organization,” admits Artem Malysh.
“We ran for those who cannot run. There were many athletes nearby who constantly supported us, encouraged us, and thanked us for our service. It motivates!”
A demonstration of resilience and determination
“The Limitless team once again demonstrated the resilience and determination of our veterans in overcoming any obstacles on their path. What is important is that we help veterans believe in their victory, move toward their desired goals, and motivate others to always strive for more,” says co-founder of the NGO “Limitless” Daria Donchenko.
Sport that brings people back to life: President of “Combat Samozakhyst ISO” called to support veterans’ rehabilitation
The Honorary President of the martial arts sports association “Combat Samozakhyst ISO”, who attended the event, also shared his thoughts on the importance of such initiatives:
“Events like SPARTAN WINTER are of enormous importance for the entire Ukrainian society. They not only honor the memory of our heroes who gave their lives for Ukraine, but also show the unbreakable spirit of those who return from the front with injuries. Every sports event should remind us of the feat of Ukrainian warriors and provide real help in the rehabilitation of our brothers-in-arms.
Across Ukraine, similar initiatives are already operating and changing the lives of veterans. For example, in Uzhhorod, world champion in “Combat Samozakhyst ISO” and war veteran Vladyslav Hornod, who himself lost a leg during demining, created free adaptive training sessions for defenders with severe injuries. This is not just sport — it is a place where warriors feel strength again, regain faith in themselves, and return to a full life.
Sport heals not only the body, but also the soul. And projects like LIMITLESS and our training in Uzhhorod prove that life after injury does not end — it can even become better. The main thing is to have a purpose and support. We will continue developing these initiatives across the country so that every veteran receives a chance for a new life and new victories,” said Reserve Major General Mykola Zentsev, and called on everyone to support veterans and help in the rehabilitation of warriors.
Fundraising for prosthetics
One of the main goals of the event was to raise funds for prosthetics for the veteran of the KRAKEN Active Operations Unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine — Yevhenii Shumilo. As a result of an enemy FPV drone strike, he lost part of his leg.
You can also contribute to the fundraiser: https://send.monobank.ua/jar/3C6KKJNrpq
Thanks to previous Limitless projects, a bionic arm prosthesis was provided to veteran Ihor Zabluda, who also took part in SPARTAN WINTER this time.
