Peaceful pre-Olympic protest in Paris honors fallen Ukrainian athletes

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — In a powerful tribute to the hundreds of Ukrainian athletes who have perished since the Russian invasion of their homeland, the Union of Ukrainians of France led a peaceful march of several hundred people in Paris on Saturday. The demonstration, held in the run-up to this month’s Olympic Games, aimed to honor these fallen sports heroes and highlight the ongoing impact of the conflict on Ukraine’s athletic community. Several hundred athletes – some of them who competed at elite levels – plus coaches and other people closely involved in professional and amateur sports in Ukraine have been killed in the full-scale invasion since 2022, including fighting as soldiers on the front lines.