Bellator champ Yaroslav Amosov offers harrowing update from Ukraine: ‘Terrible things are happening’

Bellator welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov offered an update on the ground in the Ukraine amid the ongoing invasion by Russian forces.

The 28-year-old undefeated fighter helped his family leave Ukraine shortly after the conflict started but he returned to defend the country for the past several weeks. On Monday, Amosov released a video from Ukraine criticizing Russian reports about the war while showing a house that had allegedly been bombed during an attack. In the clip, explosions can be heard in the distance.

“Greetings to all. Wanted to say — well, wanted to repeat — many people talked about this special operation. You’re not saving us,” Amosov said on Instagram. “We are defending ourselves. Russian troops came to our territory and they talk about saving us? It’s very interesting to me, who did you save in this house? And this is just a fraction of it. It drops [a shell] on orphanages and regular houses. They shoot at civilians.

“Terrible things are happening. I don’t understand those people who don’t believe what is going on in our country, they watch their TV and think everything is okay here. They believe that you [the Russian people] are saving us. You’re not saving us, I don’t know how people of Ukraine will forgive Russia for what they did to our country. And this is not even the end.”

According to reports, at least 636 civilians have been killed since the invasion first began on Feb. 24. Russian forces have launched more than 900 missiles during the onslaught, with numerous civilian areas being hit.

Recent targets have included a maternity hospital as well as apartment buildings.

“Many people are dying,” Amosov said. “I don’t know how you can tell a person who lives in Ukraine what goes on here. I see it with my own eyes, I can hear it — well, I’m sure you guys can hear it.

“Our country will defend itself, our country will win. Our people are cohesive and our country is the best country in the world.”

Amosov is just one of several Ukrainian athletes who have stayed to defend the country during the fighting.

Boxers Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk also stayed in the Ukraine, with Usyk scrapping his expected rematch against Anthony Joshua so he could remain at home as the conflict continues.

As for Amosov, as of this writing, he’s actually still scheduled to defend his welterweight title against Michael “Venom” Page at the upcoming Bellator London event on May 13.