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Olympic bronze medalist Stanislav Horuna says he is auctioning off his medal to support Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
Horuna, who represented Ukraine during the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in the men's karate Kumite event, says his longtime dream was to be up on the podium for his country. He achieved that, winning bronze in the Tokyo Games.
However, Horuna says that dream has since changed after Russian President Vladamir Putin declared a "special military operation" in Ukraine in February.
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Stanislav Horuna of Team Ukraine poses with his bronze medal during the Olympic Games on Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Harry How/Getty Images)
"Now my dream is to expel the enemy from my Ukraine," Horuna wrote on Facebook last week. "This is the only dream for every Ukrainian now."
Wanting "this dream to come true as soon as possible," Horuna on Thursday announced he decided to sell his medal at an auction to support Ukraine and its army against Russia.
"The person who buys a medal will receive not only the most important medal in 19 years of my sports career, but also a huge thank you from me personally. As well as from all Ukrainian people!" Horuna said.
Horuna celebrated his 32nd birthday last month pleading for help as Russia continued its attacks on Ukraine. He previously joined the Ukrainian Army and has used his social media platform to bring attention to Russia’s attacks led by Putin.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a cabinet meeting via video conference outside Moscow on March 23, 2022. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
"Hello my friends. It is the first of March, and today is my birthday," Horuna said in a video posted to Instagram, while dressed in full military gear. "Just in case, if you wanted to make me a birthday present, better [to] send [that money] as a donation to support the Ukrainian Army and mention Ukraine in your social media."
"Thank you. Stand with Ukraine," he added.
Last month, Horuna also posted videos to his Instagram Story of Ukrainian civilians appearing to make Molotov cocktails. Even children were pictured helping.
Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine reacts during the 2nd European Games on June 30, 2019, in Minsk, Belarus. (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
"This is Ukraine! We unite and help each other," he wrote. "Even if we have to make bombs."
Other Ukrainian athletes have spoken out or joined the military effort, including boxing champions Wladimir Klitschko and Vitali Klitschko, who is the mayor of Kyiv.
On Thursday, a user on Facebook suggested that Horuna should share ownership of the medal with someone, so he still gets to keep it.
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"I don't need a medal. I am [an] Olympic bronze medalist and will die with this status," Horuna replied.
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report
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