The Portuguese coach Paulo Fonseca, who was coach of the Ukrainian football club Shakhtar Donetsk from 2016 to 2019, had to leave Kyiv in an adventurous way after Russia's attack on Ukraine.

The 49-year-old was staying in the town of his wife Katerina Ostrushko when the attacks began on February 24.

“We ran to Hotel Opera, where Shakhtar's coach Roberto De Zerbi and part of the team were staying.

We took refuge in a bunker," Fonseca reported in an interview with "Gazzetta dello Sport".

The Portuguese embassy then organized a minibus for his journey home.

Together with two other families, they set out for Moldova.

“It was a horrible journey: 30 hours of non-stop driving.

Sometimes we stood in line, planes flew overhead, people couldn't find fuel or food.

I only relaxed at the border with Romania.

My wife is crying because we have friends and family all over Ukraine," said the former Roma coach.

The Portuguese appealed to the EU and the US not to abandon Ukraine.

“What they are doing is important, but it is insufficient.

We have to stop the monster," Fonseca commented.

He lamented that many personalities in the football world did not take a position on the Ukraine conflict.

"Now is the time for them to do that," Fonseca said.

"We must stop this war"

Meanwhile, worries about the war at home weigh heavily on Ukrainian biathlete Dmitro Sujarko at the Paralympics in China.

“In biathlon, a very high level of concentration is required.

I missed twice because yesterday the house where I live was bombed and destroyed,” said Suyarko.

Nevertheless, the 25-year-old won bronze over the ten kilometers on Tuesday.

With Sujarko, two more Ukrainians stood on the podium with Paralympic champions Vitaly Lukyanenko and Anatoli Kowalewski.

"For me, it's something amazing," he explained.

"I'm very happy but not 100 percent because there is a very special situation in my country and I want peace for Ukraine." Ukraine is the dominant para-biathlon nation at the Beijing Games.

The war-torn country won 16 medals, including six gold medals, in the first four days of the competition.

Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko called for even greater isolation of Russia in international sports competitions.

"I have nothing personally against the athletes, but I have a lot against the aggression of Russian President Putin and his war machine," said the 45-year-old in an interview with the British newspaper "Mirror" (Wednesday).

Excluding Russia from all competitions is not an act of aggression.

Russian athletes would then ask their government why no one wanted to compete against them anymore.

Sanctions at various levels, including in sport, are very important.

"We must stop this war in the name of peace," said the former professional.

Wladimir Klitschko and his brother Vitaly, who is mayor of Kyiv, stayed in Ukraine to defend their country against Russian attack.

The boxing pro described the situation in an interview as "the biggest fight of his life."

FIFA and the European Football Union have previously banned all Russian teams from international competitions.

The Russians also excluded other associations, including sports such as biathlon, ice hockey, basketball, volleyball and handball.

The International Olympic Committee recommended the exclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials.