Well-known Ukrainian tennis player Serhiy Stakhovsky has officially completed his service in the ranks of the SBU's Special Operations Center 'Alpha.' The 40-year-old athlete was demobilized to the reserve after more than four years in the country's Defense Forces. This is reported by Sport RBC.UA, citing Stakhovsky's own Instagram page, where he confirmed the fact of his discharge.

Demobilization from 'Alpha'

According to Stakhovsky himself, the unit commander signed the order for his discharge to the reserve on September 10. The athlete explained the decision to demobilize on personal grounds, without revealing the details. Thus, his more-than-four-year period of service in the Defense Forces structure, including his time in the elite special unit, has come to an end, and the former tennis player is transitioning to the civilian status of a reserve serviceman.

The Path from the Court to Special Operations

Serhiy Stakhovsky's sports career ended in early 2022, after which he immediately returned to Ukraine. Unofficially, on a voluntary basis, he joined the country's defense from the very first days of the full-scale invasion. For the last 2.5 years, Stakhovsky has served in 'Alpha' officially, having made the journey from volunteer to a regular member of one of the SBU's most closed units.

Combat Missions Deep Behind Enemy Lines

According to available data, Stakhovsky was part of a unit that carried out complex missions deep into enemy territory. In particular, he took part in a combat drone equipment group. Previously, in an interview, he spoke about his operations as part of the SBU, including the successful conduct of a special operation, and publicly called for strengthening the country's air defense.

Contradictory Data

The publications on the topic contain discrepancies in the wording of the length of service. The headlines of several outlets speak of 'four years in Alpha,' whereas the text itself clarifies that Stakhovsky was in the ranks of the Defense Forces for more than four years, but in the Special Operations Center 'Alpha' itself he served officially for only the last 2.5 years, having previously participated in the defense on a voluntary basis. In other words, the total length of military service and the length of service specifically in 'Alpha' do not coincide, and it is correct to speak of four years in the Defense Forces overall and of 2.5 years of official service in the special unit.

Plans After Service

After his demobilization, the 40-year-old former athlete plans to focus on developing his own business — the Stakhovsky wines winemaking project. Thus, Stakhovsky, whose sports career ended at the peak of his fame, became part of the state security system for several years, and now intends to return to entrepreneurship. It is separately noted that previously Russians ended up at the padel club founded by Elina Svitolina and Serhiy Stakhovsky, which underscores his active civic and sports activities alongside his military service.