Ukrainian tennis player Oleksandra Oleinikova saw Russia's gradual return to the international sports arena as a "propaganda victory" for Moscow and a reward for "a country that kills people every day," according to what she said in an interview with Agence France-Presse.
The player, who is 25 years old and lives in the capital, Kiev, appealed to US President Donald Trump to provide Ukraine with the interceptor missiles it needs to defend itself.
Oleinikova spoke to Agence France-Presse during her participation in the “Hong Kong Tournament,” just hours after Ukraine was again subjected to bloody Russian night strikes.
The war has a personal nature for Oleinikova, who reached 41st place in the world last September. Her father and her boyfriend serve in the armed forces.
She also witnessed for herself the extent of the devastation that has befallen Ukraine since the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022.
Oleinikova, who emerged this year as one of the most outspoken Ukrainian athletes in expressing her positions, said, “When I see the news, I feel great sympathy, and it hurts me a lot, and the matter is very personal to me.”
She reported that she feels a big difference between her life on the tennis courts and the reality in her country, adding in a voice mixed with emotion: “When I return home, I live under the impact of attacks and see destroyed buildings.”
She continued: “I am not always only in Kiev. I have visited cities close to the front lines that suffer a lot... very much.”
Oleinikova indicated that she often wakes up to the sounds of explosions in Kiev, as the city also experiences power outages.
She said; After losing her opening match in Hong Kong: “You wake up and hear that sound, and you feel the apartment shaking.”
She added: “Suppose you are returning from training, and there is no electricity, and you have to climb to the 20th floor on your feet, and you are already tired and want to rest. "You can't even shower, and the winter in Ukraine is cold."
As the war continues, there are signs that the sports community is softening its hardline stance toward Russian athletes.
The Russian men's and women's ice hockey teams will be able to return to the World Championships next year after an absence of 5 years.
Russia will also host the World Weightlifting Championships in 2030.
Last July, the International Olympic Committee eased the restrictions imposed on Russian athletes and opened the way for them to participate in the qualifiers for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.
Oleinikova, who this year competed in all four Grand Slams for the first time, said she is speaking out because she wants the world to know what her country and its people are going through.
She believed that allowing Russian athletes to return to international competitions sends the wrong message, adding: “This is terrible; Because these people are part of Russian propaganda.”
She continued: “It is a victory for Russian propaganda, as you accept people who represent symbols of a state that kills people every day. “You are accepting people who support these horrific things.”
When she was asked if she would like to send a message to Trump, who had previously pledged to end the war within 24 hours, she repeated her government’s demand to obtain Patriot systems, which are among the most important weapons used to intercept Russian attacks.
She said: “We need Patriot systems to defend our cities, strengthen air defenses and save lives.”
She added: “Currently; The Russians are practicing terrorism against us, and they are terrorizing Kiev,” noting that “the attacks are more intense than ever, and many civilians are dying.”
