Participant in the regional “Young Person of the Year – 2026” competition “Heart of Victory” category: Anastasia Kudinova
A native of Selidovo, Anastasia Kudinova has devoted herself to sports aerobics since the age of 5, earning the title of Candidate for Master of Sports of Ukraine. After completing her coaching education in Zaporizhzhia, she returned to her hometown, where she worked as a physical education instructor at the “Sport for All” Center for Physical Culture and Health.
In 2022, Anastasia’s life suffered a severe blow: her husband went missing while on a combat mission. This ordeal did not break her; instead, it transformed her pain into determination. She voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where she served in both the 42nd Mechanized Brigade and the 119th Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces.
After mastering aerial reconnaissance, Anastasia worked with Mavic drones and later became an operator of Vampire heavy strike drones. She repeatedly carried out extremely complex missions on the front lines. During one of her deployments, after neutralizing an enemy threat, Anastasia sustained a shrapnel wound from an FPV drone. However, after rehabilitation, she immediately returned to the front lines.
Anastasia Kudinova’s story is an example of iron will, where athletic training, personal courage, and loyalty to the Motherland bring Ukraine closer to victory.