7-time Ukrainian champion explains her refusal to renounce Ukrainian citizenship, recalling Bakhmut

European rhythmic gymnastics champion Melania Tur explained that the decision to change her citizenship to Israel was made by her personally. The 18-year-old native of Pavlohrad refused to play for the Ukrainian national team.

Tur admitted that her parents fully supported her in this act.

"They, by the way, like my 3-year-old sister, are 150 km away from Bakhmut and have not left the territory of Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion," Tribuna.com quoted Tur as saying.

After Melania serves her one-year quarantine, she will be able to compete under the Israeli flag. This will happen no earlier than May 12, 2024.

In 2020, at the European Championships held in Kyiv, Tur, together with Polina Karika, Karina Sydorak and group players Anastasia Voznyak, Maria Vysocianska, Mariola Bodnarchuk and Diana Baieva, won the team event.

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