Mr Stakhovsky added that the situation in Kyiv "doesn't look good"
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Retired Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky has told GB News that he’s armed with a weapon and ready to stand his ground if Russians enter Kyiv.
Mr Stakhovsky, who most famously beat the legendary Roger Federer in the second round of Wimbledon back in 2013, was on holiday when the war broke out.
But, having heard the news, he curtailed his holiday before joining the fight to defend Kyiv.
The Russian army has found it difficult to capture the Ukrainian capital, with logistical difficulties and a stern Ukrainian defence owed to the delays.
Speaking on the Dan Wooton Show, Mr Stakhovsky explained to Mark Dolan the current situation in Kyiv.
He said: "Kyiv is pretty safe in terms of gunfights, but there is shelling and bombs every day. Four to seven times a day there is airstrike alarms.
"Some of those we ignore although we shouldn’t. But we expect it to take the course of Kharkiv which has been bombed in recent days, nobody knows what will happen next. It doesn’t look good.”
When asked whether he has a weapon, Mr Stakhovsky said: "I do have a weapon."
He was then asked what he would be willing to, he responded by saying: “I’ll stand my ground by means necessary.”
He added: "My family are not happy (by my decision), but I still have family here, my brother and my father stayed behind. It was a tough choice for me but I would feel guilt if I left them behind and didn’t help my country."
Former world number one Novak Djokovic has sent messages of support to the Ukrainian star, but Mr Stakhovsky wants the rest of the world to help in the fight.
“He (Mr Djokovic) did this alongside all other tennis players, Novak is one of the most famous tennis players in the world he’s a well-known athlete. Right now, Ukraine is not left alone in terms of media in terms of people from all over the world and it helps, but we do need help from the rest of the world to level this fight.
“Everybody says it’s impossible, but we need someone to close the skies above us so that Russia cannot attack us from above.
"On the ground it’s a fair fight, Russian army is not motivated enough, the invaders expect people to celebrate them as bread and butter but unfortunately for them it’s quite the opposite.
“They’re’ shocked, they’re demoralised, you can’t just occupy a country the size of 40 million people. Ukrainian’s are ready to fight on the street.”
