President of Ukraine Strips Olympic Athlete of Scholarship
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a decree on December 24 to revoke the presidential scholarship of diver Sofiia Lyskun, who recently obtained Russian citizenship.
The 23-year-old athlete, born in Luhansk and who represented the Ukrainian team at the last two Olympic Games, stated in an interview with a Russian propaganda publication that she moved to Moscow and plans to compete for the Russian national team.
Lyskun's Sports Achievements
- European Champion in Mixed Team
- Silver Medalist at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games
- Participant in Tokyo (2021) and Paris (2024) Olympic Games
- Gold medal winner at European Championships in 2018 and 2024
Sofiia Lyskun claims that after moving to Kyiv in 2014, she felt isolated and had no professional growth. She also stated that she never considered which country she was representing.
Lyskun had been receiving the presidential scholarship since April 2025 but has now been stripped of it due to her change of citizenship and public stance.
