Oleksandr Zinchenko has said he would put his UK football career on hold and fight for his home country Ukraine if he was called up.
The 27 year-old Arsenal defender - who has donated £1million to his country’s war-effort since the 2022 Russian invasion - says his school friends have signed up. Asked about the full-scale war, now in its third year, he said: “I think it’s a clear answer. I would go (to fight.)
“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.”
His comments in a BBC interview were made as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Kyiv will have to mobilise half a million more soldiers to keep the war-effort going.
Wenger breaks silence on Arsenal visit as he doubles down on title prediction
Zinchenko signed up with Arsenal in a £30million transfer from Manchester City in 2022 but began his career as a teenager playing for Russian side Ufa in 2015. He played for Manchester City for six years before moving to North London, joining City in his teens.
Now he says he does not speak to his Russian former teammates but says he understands the difficult position they are in. He said: “Since the invasion, really few have texted me and sent some messages and I can’t blame them because this is not their fault. I cannot tell them, ‘Guys, do the protests outside and all these things’ because I know they can be (put) in prison.”
But he added: “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.”
Oleksandr Zinchenko speaks with Arsenal boss Mikel ArtetaPresident Volodymyr Zelensky this week signed a new law reducing the military draft age from 27 to 25 as his country tries to boost its troop numbers.
Under martial law the call-up to war means young men will be drafted into military service at 25 but not mobilised for war until the age of 27. So there are two stages - the draft and then the mobilisation.
Martial law also bans men between the ages of 18 and 60 from leaving Ukraine unless they are unfit for military service. It means many wives and children have been forced to flee the country, leaving their men behind.
and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
