In Washington, D.C., and Arlington, Virginia, the 50th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) brought together around 40,000 participants — including Ukrainian veterans and soldiers who ran side by side with their American brothers-in-arms, veterans, families, and supporters. The run honored fallen heroes and reminded the world about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
This was reported by the US Ukrainian Activists (USUA) and United Help Ukraine (UHU).
Active members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the USUA Veterans Team took part in the marathon. The 26.2-mile (42 km) course ran through the U.S. capital, passing landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Botanic Garden, and Arlington. Along the route, thousands of spectators waved Ukrainian flags in support. Severely wounded Ukrainian veterans currently undergoing rehabilitation in the U.S. also came to cheer the runners.
The USUA veterans — Ivan Drozd, Anatolii Veresenko, Ruslan Popov, Yurii Tsyntylevych and Andriy Kucher — were supported by the US Ukrainian Activists team, who participated in the marathon for the second year in a row.
Their run was not only a tribute to Ukrainian and American heroes but also a form of rehabilitation. USUA President Nadiya Shaporynska, who completed the virtual MCM 10K, emphasized that such events serve not only as gestures of solidarity but also as powerful tools of international advocacy to raise awareness about Ukraine’s struggle against Russia’s genocidal aggression.
A few days before the race, a meeting was held at Ukraine House in Washington, where the USUA team shared their personal stories of resilience. The evening concluded with a moment of silence, prayer, and words of gratitude for continued support.
Their participation was sponsored by United Help Ukraine (UHU) under the banner Team Ukraine, which included six Ukrainian service members — among them wounded veterans — led by Major General (Ret.) Volodymyr Havrylov, recipient of the U.S. Legion of Merit (awarded by President Donald Trump in 2019), former Defense Attaché of Ukraine to the U.S. (2015–2018), and Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine. among them wounded veterans — led by Major General (Ret.) Volodymyr Havrylov, recipient of the U.S. Legion of Merit (awarded by President Donald Trump in 2019), former Defense Attaché of Ukraine to the U.S. (2015–2018), and Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
The participants arrived in the U.S. directly from the frontlines, becoming a symbol of Ukraine’s endurance and indomitable spirit. They also ran to raise funds for Ukrainian defenders and in memory of a comrade who had planned to run with them but was killed in action shortly before the event. After completing the marathon, these soldiers returned to their units in Ukraine.
As one of the largest such events in the U.S., symbolizing endurance and strength, the Marine Corps Marathon is a perfect stage for Ukraine’s defenders to not only showcase their resilience and determination but also Ukraine’s enduring spirit and strength. For the eighth year, UHU is proud to help bring these soldiers to MCM,“ said Maryna Baydyuk, UHU’s President & Executive Director.
After the race, all Ukrainian participants met with Ambassador of Ukraine to the U.S. Oksana Stefanishyna, who highlighted the importance of sports as part of veterans’ rehabilitation programs.
“The Ambassador emphasized the significance of sports as an element of rehabilitation programs for Ukrainian defenders and veterans, noting their resilience, courage, and unwavering dedication — both in fighting Russian aggression and in completing one of the most prestigious U.S. marathons, where they demonstrated outstanding results,” UHU reported.
Among the Ukrainian runners, veteran Yurii Tsintilevych achieved an elite time of 2:40, while serviceman Yaroslav finished in 2:41:23.
“Such marathons stay in your memory for life — I’m talking about the Marine Corps Marathon, which marked its 50th anniversary in Washington and was my first one… I ran with a personal best of 3 hours and 44 minutes. Our team of five veterans all finished strong, and our club member ‘Mitsni 300’ runner Yurii Tsintilevych ranked 66th overall out of 32,000 participants, becoming the fastest Ukrainian. I hope that veterans’ sports will gain momentum with the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the U.S. and attract Ukrainians in America to new projects across different activities for veterans and wounded soldiers,” said veteran Andriy Kucher.
Photo: US Ukrainian Activists, United Help Ukraine, Ukraine House
Author: Inna Mikhno