Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev died in the war against Russia.

“The federation reports the tragic death of a member of the youth national team, Yevhen Malyshev.

We express our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones," the Ukrainian association said.

The 19-year-old Malyshev was in military service and is said to have died in a battle near Kharkiv.

Malyshev was a member of Ukraine's junior national team but retired two years ago.

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) also on Wednesday "expressed its heartfelt condolences on the loss of former Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Malyshev, who died this week while doing military service in Ukraine".

The association "again condemns the Russian attacks on Ukraine and the support from Belarus and reiterates its hope for an immediate end to the war".

Two football professionals also fell victim to the Russian attack on Ukraine.

As the international players' association FIFPro confirmed, Vitaly Sapylo (21) and Dimitri Martynenko (25) lost their lives in the war in their home country.

"May they both rest in peace," wrote FIFPro on Twitter.

Sapylo was a youth goalkeeper for Karpaty Lviv (third division), Martynenko had last played for FC Gostomel (second division).

Former Ukrainian biathlon world champion Dmytro Pidruchnyi drew reactions from across the biathlon world with an emotional post from his wartime service.

"I am grateful to everyone who writes to me worried about my family and to those who support and help Ukraine," the 30-year-old wrote on Instagram.

He showed himself in a photo in a military uniform with a helmet: “I am currently in my hometown of Ternopil and serve in the National Guard of Ukraine.

This photo was taken during the air raid.”

Just two weeks ago, his country's best ski hunter started at the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, his federation announced that no Ukrainian would compete in the remaining three World Cup events.

According to media reports, other biathletes are also fighting at the front, including Julia Dschima, the best woman who won Olympic gold with the Ukraine relay in Sochi in 2014.

"Stay strong," replied former German world champion Benedikt Doll to Pidrutschnji's post on the social network.

"We are all with you," Italian Thomas Bormolini replied.

The Norwegian Olympic champion Tiril Eckhoff wrote: "Take care and stay strong." In addition, many sporting rivals left behind hearts in the Ukrainian national colors of yellow and blue.

Pidruchnyi is the strongest Ukrainian this season as 34th in the overall World Cup.

Three years ago he won the world title in pursuit in Sweden.

Russian and Belarusian athletes are not allowed to compete in the Biathlon World Cup until further notice.

The IBU announced the Executive Board's decision on Wednesday morning, in response to a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee.

In addition, at the latest at the regular board meeting on March 17, a possible suspension of the IBU membership of the two national federations should be discussed.

The Russian Biathlon Union (RBU) was downgraded to provisional membership in 2017 due to its extensive doping history.

This means that no events will take place or are planned in Russia until 2026 anyway and no RBU representative will hold an official position in the IBU.

The IBU thus tightened its measures after it had been decided the previous week that biathletes from Russia and Belarus should have been allowed to compete at least under a neutral flag at the remaining three World Cups this winter.

In response to this, the Russian and Belarusian teams had already declared that under these circumstances they no longer wanted to start at the remaining stations in Finland, Estonia and Norway this winter.

After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they shouldn't have been allowed to enter Estonia anyway.