‘I would go’ – Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko prepared to join war in Ukraine if called upon by his country

A full-scale invasion was launched by Russia back in February 2022, with political tension in the Donbas region boiling over. Zinchenko offered to head home at that stage, putting his professional career on hold, but was eventually dissuaded by family members.

Zinchenko is still prepared to join the fight if required, telling BBC Newsnight after seeing Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky lower the country’s military recruitment age from 27 to 25: “I think it's a clear answer. I would go [to fight].”

The versatile Arsenal star added on having former school friends on the frontline: “It's tough to understand that just recently we've been in the same school, we were playing in the playground or on the football pitch, and now they have to defend our country. And, honestly, [it's] so hard to accept this, but it is what it is. We cannot give up. I know maybe some people might think that it's much easier … for me being here [in London] rather than being there [in Ukraine]. I really hope that this war will end soon. What is my duty now? How can I help as much as I can to my country, to my people, over there and all these things? I can't be more proud than I am right now to be Ukrainian. I have a dream that this war will end very, very soon, and we can rebuild our Ukraine like we really want [to].”

Zinchenko spent time in Russia with Ufa in 2016, but admits that he can no longer remain in contact with colleagues from that period. He added: “Since the invasion really few [have] texted me and sent me some messages and I can't blame them because this is not their fault. I cannot tell them, 'Guys, do the protests outside and all these things', because I know they can be [put] in prison.”

Zinchenko has plenty off-field distractions to contend with at present and has spent time on the bench at Arsenal over recent weeks as they look to keep themselves in contention for Premier League and Champions League title glory.