Ukrainian city mourns champion kickboxer killed fighting Russian troops

Wife Vita and brother Serhii react next to a coffin with the body of Vitalii Merinov, the four-time world kickboxing champion and Ukrainian serviceman, who was deadly injured in a fight against Russian troops in Luhansk region, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, during a funeral ceremony in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine April 3, 2023. REUTERS/Yuriy Rylchuk

IVANO-FRANKIVSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - Hundreds of residents of the Ukrainian city of Ivano-Frankivsk turned out to mourn four-times world kickboxing champion Vitalii Merinov after he was killed in action fighting Russian troops.

Merinov, 32, died in a hospital last week after he was wounded in the eastern region of Luhansk, claimed and partially controlled by Russia.