Artem Sachuk, vice president of the Ukrainian Chess Federation, was killed in action while fighting on the front lines, the chess organization reported via Facebook on Nov. 26.
Sachuk, 39, was a resident of Zhytomyr who volunteered for the army shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In an interview with the Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne in July 2022, Sachuk said he taught his fellow soldiers how to play chess and used the game to give examples of combat formations.
"Chess is actually a war game. It is an imitation of a military conflict and it absolutely has practical value. Many chess players are now defending Ukraine as part of various units, not just the Armed Forces," Sachuk told Suspilne.
The Ukrainian Chess Federation said Sachuk was "a well-known figure" in the chess world, and that he organized many competitions within Ukraine and internationally.
Details regarding the circumstances of Sachuk's death have not been reported.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
