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Zinchenko: 'I'd leave Arsenal to fight for Ukraine'

Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko says that fighting for his home country of Ukraine would be more important than pushing for the Premier League title.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has already donated about 拢1 million to help his home country of Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022 - the same year he signed for Arsenal from Manchester City. Now, the 27-year-old defender tells Newsnight's Kirsty Wark that he's ready to walk away from his career and put his life on the line. In February, President Zelensky said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, and with volunteer numbers dropping, he has introduced a bill to boost the number of reserve troops by lowering the age of military mobilisation from 27 to 25. In this episode of 5 Minutes On Newsnight's Kirsty Wark speaks to Zinchenko, who captains the Ukraine national side, on how he would answer that call and join his school friends who are already playing their part. (Image: Getty Images)

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