For Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko there is time for everything under the sun, time to pummel opponents in the boxing ring for money and title and time to move to the war front in defence of the nation.
In the midst of the war in Ukraine,Lomachenko returned home to enlist in the Territorial Army to help defend his people against Russian soldiers.
The 34-year-old, who has been world boxing champion in three different weight divisions, was initially said to have left for Greece in the wake of the Russian invasion but has now returned to take part in the fight.
Lomachenko reposted a message from local mayor Vitaly Hrazhdan, who is also in the photo, and shared a photo on his Facebook page, dressed in military uniform.
The message reads: ‘The Belgorod-Dniestr Territorial Defense Battalion has been formed and armed. Boxer Vasyl Lomachenko is on the defensive.’
It was reportedly a busy few days for the boxing legend, whose journey back to Ukraine from Greece was long and complicated.
It is said that he first had to go to Bucharest in Romania, before traveling to Ukraine to go to his hometown of Odessa.
Lomachenko isn’t the only famous Ukrainian boxer to trade a life of luxury for the front line, with both Wladimir and Vitaly Klitschko joining the fray.
At night, explosions were heard in several cities in Ukraine, including the capital Kiev, Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, and Chernihiv, north of the capital. .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kiev and Moscow will hold peace talks on the northern border with Belarus on Monday (today), but has frankly said he had little hope of the conflict being resolved. Zelensky will not personally be part of the delegation.
Ukraine’s health ministry said on Sunday that 352 civilians, including 14 children, have been killed since Russia’s invasion of the country last week. Russia calls its action in Ukraine a “special operation”.
