THE Volodymyr Zelensky said today Friday that he was “proud” of the Ukrainian athletes participating in the Olympic Games of Paris despite the destruction and bloodshed caused by the Russian invasion of the country, which began more than two years ago.

“We are proud of our team, of the men and women who, despite this war of aggression, managed to prepare for the Olympic Games and demonstrate the spirit of all Ukrainians,” the Ukrainian president said in a message on the X platform.

“They have our own will to win the Ukrainian character as well,” he added, declaring that Kyiv is on the side of those who “respect life, human values ​​and the principles of Olympism.”

The invasion of Ukraine has claimed the lives of 487 Ukrainian athletes, the majority of whom were killed in battles with the armed forces at the front, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Zelensky, said via Telegram yesterday.

In this year’s Olympic Games, the Ukrainian Olympic team includes 143 athletes.

“It is the smallest team in the history of Ukraine’s participation in the Summer Olympics… And the whole world understands why. Because Russia is deliberately killing Ukrainians,” Podoliak said.

The invasion has seriously disrupted the athletes’ training. Some left the country to continue training, others stayed despite the risk of Russian strikes that have often hit sports facilities.