Stanislav Horuna, Olympic Medalist from Ukraine: “We will kill every occupant who invades”

As the sanctions on Russia and Vladimir Putin roll in, fighters on the opposite of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia are taking up arms. With names like Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Oleksandr Usyk taking up arms for their countries, many look to these athletes as role models for how one should act in such an invasion. Another Ukranian stepping up for their country is karateka Olympic bronze medalist Stanislav Horuna.

Horuna took to social media to speak about fighting the Russian invasion. In a post made on his Instagram account, Stanislav Horuna posted a picture of some of the carnage seen in Ukraine saying, “We fight back. … We will kill every occupant who invades.” The message from the Ukrainian people have been stern to Vladimir Putin and the Russian invaders: we do not want you here. Stanislav Horuna also posted on his social media another video of the carnage saying “Don’t know how long it will last… Putin has stolen millions of lives…thousands of them – forever.”

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Horuna is an Olympic bronze medalist, capturing his medal in the 2020 Tokyo Games where karate made its first, and only, appearance of the Games thus far. In 2014, he’s won bronze at the World Championships, as well as a gold at the World Games, the European Games, and the European Championships. While all that is impressive, the willingness of Stanislav Horuna to stand up to such a real threat, one not on the mat or in the dojo, will be, perhaps, his biggest life accomplishment, and his most dangerous.

Stanislav Horuna and the rest of the sporting world rallying for Ukraine

Stanislav Horuna is only the latest fighter to join the resistance against the Russian invaders. As mentioned at the top, the Klitschko brothers, Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk are all in the fight. Dmytro Pidruchnyi competed at the Winter Olympics in Beijing two weeks ago, tennis star Serhiy Stakhovskiy, and Bellator champion Yaroslav Amosov have all joined the fight.

The rally by the people of Ukraine has been led by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of the country. He has stayed in the fight himself, working to push back the Russians, instead of running and governing from afar. It’s led to he and these larger than life fighters like Klitschko, current reigning heavyweight champion Usyk, and others who don’t need to stay and fight. They have the reasons and means to leave the country for somewhere safe. Instead, they stay to fight. That is a true story worth reading about.