I can't stay in Moscow when Putin is bombing my country - Voronin opens up on fleeing Russia

Former Ukrainian international Andriy Voronin has opened up about leaving his job and Moscow with his family due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The former Liverpool striker had earlier terminated his contract as assistant manager at Dynamo Moscow by mutual consent and subsequently left Russia for Germany.

In an interview with German newspaper Bild, Voronin revealed that he fled Russia because he 'can no longer work in the country that is bombing my homeland.'

"We got out of Moscow before it was completely blocked. We couldn't land in Dusseldorf so we flew via Amsterdam. My father, my mother-in-law, my wife, and children are here now," Voronin said.

"I've been unwell for four days. Really bad. When I see all the pictures from my homeland when seeing the news. It's all as unreal as a movie. But a horror film. I hardly have any words left."

Voronin lamented the scale of destruction that Russia is wreaking on Ukraine, whilst referring to Putin as a 'criminal.'

The former Ukrainian international said: "Maybe he just wants to be in the history books? But he will never end up there... or at most as a criminal.

"I'm so proud of our country. We have beautiful cities, great people. We will keep fighting. And we will win. But the price is so high. All the dead... we live in the year 2022 and not in WWII."

Voronin also stated that he would be open to fighting on the frontlines of the conflict by picking up a gun.

"I have friends in Kharkiv, in Kyiv, in my hometown of Odesa. I get messages every five minutes. It's hard to bear," the 42-year-old said.

"I just want to help. With money. Whatever... and I don't know if I should say it: But if I were in Ukraine right now, I'd probably have a gun in my hand too."

Voronin has lived most of his life in Germany, playing for clubs like Mainz, Koln, Bayer Leverkusen, and Borussia Monchengladbach.