As of today, it is known that 489 Ukrainian athletes have died as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This information was provided by MP and first deputy head of the parliamentary Committee on Youth and Sports, Zhan Beleniuk, as reported by the press service of the Verkhovna Rada.
Beleniuk shared that a multimedia project titled "The Revived" was presented at the Volia Space Ukrainian House in Paris, focusing on Ukrainian athletes who became victims of Russian aggression.
He emphasized the importance of using every opportunity to inform the world about the war in Ukraine and Russia's war crimes.
"People need to know what is happening in our country. This is as important as the Olympic performances themselves. All Ukrainian athletes in Paris are ambassadors of the state. We are rallying to draw attention to the issue of Russian aggression. When people know the truth, they will pressure their governments to assist Ukraine more actively," Beleniuk stated.
He also noted that only 15 Russian and 16 Belarusian athletes are present at the Olympics, largely due to Ukraine's extensive campaign at various levels to prevent athletes from the aggressor country and Belarus from participating in the competition.
Zhan Beleniuk highlighted the positive outcomes of Ukraine's efforts, including the self-withdrawal of Russian athletes in some disciplines, such as gymnastics and wrestling, and the blocking of other Russian athletes from attending the events. He expressed satisfaction with the results, stating that Ukraine's fight against Russian participation in the Olympics exceeded initial expectations.
