Maxim “Beshik” Benderov is a fan of the football club “Alexandria”, a representative of the team “Supporters Aleksandria” (SA07).
Maxim Vasilyevich Benderov was born on April 6, 1990 in the city of Alexandria (Kirovohrad region). He studied at the secondary school No. 8. From an early age, the future champion showed himself in sports. Starting to practice from the age of 6, he diligently mastered martial arts. Being an athlete by vocation, he most successfully realized himself in the pancreas. With this universal form of martial arts, in which opponents use percussion and throwing techniques, he eventually combined his life.
Maxim's sports path began under the guidance of coach Konstantin Lischenko. Quite early, the young man became famous not only in Alexandria, but also throughout Kirovograd region. During the years of playing sports, he had a black belt (1 dan) from the pankration, was a repeated champion of Ukraine in the pankration, the champion of Ukraine among special forces. Silver medalist of the World Championship, European champion (2007), silver medalist of the European Championship (2006), multiple champion of Ukraine in Military-sport multisport, champion of Ukraine in hand-to-hand combat, medalist of the Ukrainian Pancration Championship. The mentor recalled that his ward from a young age was always a center and a true leader. He rallied completely different people around him, uniting them with common thoughts and emotions.
Maxim not only constantly trained himself, but also trained others. The main focus of his coaching work was children. Despite his very young age, the young man showed the best features of a teacher, was well versed in psychology, knew not to force children to play sports, but taught them to love him. He worked as a coach not anywhere, but in the Pantayev boarding school for orphans. Colleagues from the Alexandrian sports club “Zakhyst” say that the children were always waiting for him and were sure that the coach would come, would not let him down. And he did not disappoint the children. Even in heavy snowfall, without having his own car, he got to the boarding school, located 20 kilometers from the city, and held classes.
In parallel with this, he actively attended the fan stand of FC “Alexandria”. Friends, teammates and everyone who knew Maxim remember him exclusively as an honest person, always ready to come to the rescue. One story is illustrative, when one summer the guy was called to earn extra money - to guard the fields where the harvest ripened. He invited his friends to work as a part-time job. When it came time to settle with the guys, the “employer” simply disappeared and did not pay. No one was offended by Maxim. But he, as soon as the opportunity arose, collected the necessary amount and distributed it to those who worked with him.
A few years before the start of the Russian invasion in the east of the country, Beshik began training with several Kirovograd special forces, later deciding to join a special purpose regiment. He met his 24th birthday already in the war, as a senior scout in the 3rd Special Purpose Regiment of the GUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. From the very beginning, the ATO was constantly in battles and raids. Maxim Benderov died on July 15, 2014 as a result of enemy mortar shelling in the area of Izvaryny (Luhansk region). After coming under fire near the Ukrainian-Russian border, 8 officers, sergeants and soldiers of the detachment were killed, and 11 more were wounded.
On August 14, 2014, he was awarded the Order “For Courage” of the III degree (posthumously). In memory of Maxim Benderov, annual competitions are held in the city of Alexandria: Open Championship of Kirovograd region in military-sports multisport and All-Ukrainian Pancration Tournament. On April 28, 2017, in honor of the fallen Warrior in Alexandria, the street was renamed.
Eternal glory to the Hero!
