During the full-scale invasion by Russia, 591 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have lost their lives. Additionally, 22 individuals are reported as captives, and 11 are missing.

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

Victims in sports: MFA of Ukraine on crimes by Russia

Along with human losses, the ministry reported significant damage to sports infrastructure, with 725 sports facilities either damaged or destroyed, including 17 bases for Olympic, Paralympic, and Deaflympic training.

It was also emphasized that Russia uses sports as a tool for propaganda and aggression. For instance, at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, 10 out of 15 Russian athletes competing under a neutral flag openly supported Russia's aggression or had military connections.

“Russian sports are not separate from the state... Those who claim that sports should be outside politics must also recognize that Russia uses sports as a political weapon,” stated the MFA of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian World Congress condemned the intentions of the International Olympic Committee to reinstate Russia.

The Ukrainian World Congress expressed outrage over the plans of the new IOC president, Coventry, to discuss Russia's return to the Olympics.

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

Global Rights Compliance noted that athletes are violating rules that prohibit them from publicly supporting the war in Ukraine, despite the IOC's thorough vetting of all participants.