The line of Ukrainian sports profiles joining the army is getting longer.
The recently retired tennis professional Sergiy Stakhovsky, best known for his giant bang against Roger Federer at Wimbledon 2013, talks about the decision in an emotional interview with the BBC.
- I know how to use a weapon.
If I have to, I have to.
But I hope I do not have to use a weapon, he says.
"The children do not know"
The 36-year-old has left his home with his wife and children.
According to the BBC, the children believe that “Dad is at a tennis tournament.
- I do not know how I did it.
It's extremely tough for my wife.
The kids do not know I'm here.
They do not understand war.
They understand very little of what is going on.
Stakhovsky was ranked 31st in the world.
The other day, Olympic athletes Dmytro Pidruchny and Dmytro Mazurchuk and boxing star Vasyl Lomchenko joined the Ukrainian army.