During the full-scale war, 591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have died due to the actions of Russian troops. Additionally, 22 sports representatives are in captivity, and 11 are missing.

This information was provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The Ministry reported the tragic toll of 591 killed athletes: "These are horrific crimes by Russia," they stated.

Besides human losses, the Ministry highlighted the substantial destruction of sports infrastructure. A total of 725 sports facilities have been damaged or destroyed, including 17 bases for Olympic, Paralympic, and Deaflympic training.

The Ministry also emphasized the use of sports by Russia as a tool of aggression and propaganda. For instance, at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, 10 out of 15 “neutral” Russian athletes publicly supported the war or had military ties.

“Russian sports are intricately linked to the state. Those who claim that sports should be separated from politics must also acknowledge that Russia uses sports as a political weapon,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine asserted.

The World Congress of Ukrainians condemned the International Olympic Committee's plans to reinstate Russia.

Previously, the human rights organization Global Rights Compliance accused the IOC of negligence after 17 Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under a neutral flag expressed support for Russian aggression, which is prohibited by the rules.

Global Rights Compliance noted that these athletes violated rules prohibiting public support for the war in Ukraine, despite the IOC's thorough vetting of participants.