The Ukrainian military has accepted the 22 Pushups Challenge, an internet craze that went viral in the United States this summer.
To accept the challenge, the person needs to do 22 pushups every day for 22 days, posting a video of the feat on social media. U.S. actors such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Evans have already taken the challenge – and now they have been joined by the Ukrainian military.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense posted a video of more than 700 students from the National Academy of Land Forces of Ukraine doing pushups in front of the academy building. The aim of the 22 Pushups Challenge is to increase awareness of the problem of suicide among veterans – an average of 22 U.S. veterans commit suicide every day.
The Ukrainians entering the challenge aim to raise awareness about the problems of soldiers who are at the frontlines in eastern Ukraine and of those who have returned from the front.
The Defense Ministry’s Service Center, the Patrol Police and Ukrainian Airmobile Forces have also posted videos of their staff taking the challenge.
The Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko also posted his 22 Pushups Challenge video on YouTube on Jan. 24.
Former boxing champion and Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko joined the challenge on Jan. 25.
