March 05, (THEWILL) – As the offensive in Ukraine by Russia continues, Oleksandr Zinchenko, has stated that if it were not for his family, he would be in Ukraine as he showed his unvarnished admiration of the resilience of his people.
The Manchester City full-back is one of the most well-known Ukraine internationals in the Premier League, having captained his side to an FA Cup victory over Peterborough in midweek. Prior to the game, Zinchenko held his country’s flag in solidarity with his countrymen defending their land.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has sparked widespread support in football and sports in general, and there will be further tributes made at this weekend’s Premier League games.
As THEWILL continues to report, most of the international community has imposed sanctions on Russian companies or persons while a handful of Ukrainians have returned home to fight, and over a million people have fled to safety across the country.
Zinchenko has now stated his pride in being Ukrainian, as well as how his country’s citizens have reacted, saying: “I’ll be honest, if not for my daughter, my family, I would be there.
“I’m just born like that. I know the people from my country, the mentality of them, and all of them, they think exactly the same. I’m so proud to be Ukrainian, and I will be forever for the rest of my life. And when you’re watching the people, how they fight for their lives.
“I know the people, the mentality of my people from my country, they prefer to die, and they will die. But they’re not going to give [up].”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
