Ukraine’s sports minister, Vadym Huttsait has said 262 Ukrainian athletes have been killed while 363 sports facilities destroyed since Russia invaded and started the war in the country.

According to Reuters, Huttsait said no athletes from Russia should be allowed at the Olympics or other sports competitions while lamenting the damages done by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, a number of Ukrainian national-level athletes have taken up arms voluntarily to defend their country.

Among those killed this year alone have been figure skater Dmytro Sharpar, who died in combat near Bakhmut, and Volodymyr Androshchuk, a 22-year-old decathlon champion and future Olympic hopeful