Ukraine conflict: Olympic karate medallist Stanislav Horuna 'ready to fight' Russia

Horuna says he is ready to fight for his country after joining the defense against Russia.

Horuna has no military experience but is prepared to protect his hometown of Lviv.

He won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in the -75 kilogram category.

I am ready to fight. Horuna told Radio 5 Live that he is defending because he knows he is not attacking.

More than 1.7 million people have fled to other countries because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the United Nations.

Horuna is a Ukrainian soldier who is helping people leave their homes during the conflict.

Horuna's life has changed dramatically since he received his medal less than a year ago, but he believes that Ukraine will soon be back to normal.

Of course not all of Ukraine is completely destroyed, some cities are half destroyed, and of course those people who left their homes and cities are now refugees.

Many of them have left the country and their lives have changed completely. I stay in a safe place and we are trying to help people who have left their homes.

'Just another man on the barricades'

Horuna is one of several Ukrainian sportspeople who have joined their nation's military effort.

The brothers Vitali and Wladimir are defending their homeland.

Horuna said he considers himself just another man on the barricades when asked if he has been treated differently because of his sporting success.

I do the same things as other people. We resist when we stay together. We help each other and we are stronger than ever before.

I joined the army because everyone here is doing the same thing, but I don't see anything heroic about it.

Horuna became the European champion in his category two months before his achievement in Tokyo, and he has no doubt that he will return to his karate training in the near future.

I think we will win this war in 10 days or so, and then life will get back to normal, according to him.

I will be able to visit my gym, my dojo and continue my training. I will begin the preparation for the next tournament.

I hope it will finish soon because the Russian army is running out of resources.