Ukraine’s Minister of Youth and Sports says more than 50 Ukrainian athletes have died while defending their country against Russia, according to the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform.
“These are all our guys who played different sports. There are still many athletes who currently serve with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, some of them – in the territorial defense units,” Vadym Huttsalt said.
Scores of Ukrainian sportsmen home and abroad volunteered at the start of the war to fight for their country even if it meant death.
They were trained for two weeks , armed and sent to the frontline .