FORMER Arsenal defender Oleg Luzhny has returned to Ukraine to fight for his country against Russia.
And he insisted Ukraine will not give up in their fight to protect themselves.
Ex-Arsenal defender Oleg Luzhny has joined the Ukrainian army
The 53-year-old’s nation was invaded by Vladimir Putin’s army last month with war breaking out.
Boxers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko have all enlisted to help the heroic defensive effort by Ukraine.
Footballer Svyatik Artemenko, Sheriff Tiraspol’s Ukrainian manager Yuriy Vernydub, Olympians Dmytro Pidruchny and Dmytro Mazurchuk as well as tennis ace Sergiy Stakhovsky are also in their homeland and joined the army.
And as the violence and destruction continues, Luzhny put his coaching career on pause to play his part.
He told the Mirror: “Like all devoted Ukrainians, now I’m in Ukraine, with all our people defending our motherland. I joined the Territorial Defence Force.
“The situation is very tense, the siren sounds three or four times a day, also at night.
“People have to frantically dash to bomb shelters, women with small children, who don’t understand what is happening, they are terrified.
“Entire cities and towns are shelled and being destroyed, people are left without gas, electricity, water and food.
“But our nation stands united like never before.
“We will not give up, everyone is trying to assist in the best possible way.”
Luzhny spent four years at Highbury between 1999 and 2003, making 110 appearances and winning the Premier League and FA Cup before joining Wolves for one season.
He has had messages of support from ‘very, very worried’ former Gunners team-mates Patrick Vieira and Gilles Grimandi – while others have not been able to contact him after he got a new phone number.
Speaking about the sanctions being placed on Russia – financially, legally and even in sport – Luzhny was fully behind the moves.
He also highlighted his belief that the people of Russia are condoning the invasion if they are not standing up to the leaders.
Luzhny added: “I support all sanctions. People who are involved in sport are a part of a nation.
“When the nation elects the president, it also bears responsibility for the actions of the elected President.
“If they are silent – that means they support what is happening now: the invasion of a peaceful country.
“To bomb peaceful people in 21st century, who didn’t do any harm to Russia?
“This is beyond reason.
“What Russians are doing, it is a big threat not only to Ukraine, yet the Ukrainian army, our heroes, we now are protecting the whole of Europe.”
He has put his coaching career on hold to help defend his country
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