Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko says he would be prepared to leave his football career behind and go to war for Ukraine if he was called up by his country.
Zinchenko has been a prominent voice on the continued war in Ukraine and has donated around £1million to aid his country’s efforts since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
However, the 27-year-old has inferred that he could go further in his support and would be willing to take up arms to defend his country, noting that several of his former school friends have already done so.
‘I think it’s a clear answer. I would go [to fight],’ he told BBC Newsnight.
‘It’s tough to understand that just recently we’ve been in the same school, we were playing in the playground or on the football pitch, and now they have to defend our country.
‘And, honestly, [it’s] so hard to accept this, but it is what it is. We cannot give up.’
Zinchenko’s comments come as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said his country would need to mobilise half a million more soldiers to sustain their war efforts.
The President also signed a bill lowering the country’s minimum conscription age from 27 to 25.
Zinchenko, who began his senior career playing for Russian side Ufa in 2015, said he no longer speaks to his former Russian teammates but also acknowledged the difficult situation that many are in.
‘Since the invasion, really few [have] texted me and sent me some messages and I can’t blame them because this is not their fault,’ he added.
‘I cannot tell them, “Guys, do the protests outside and all these things” because I know they can be [put] in prison.’
‘We will never forget what they have done to us, to our people. And that’s what I will teach my kids as well. And my kids will teach their kids. This is not acceptable.’
Source: MSN
