"Just mathematically impossible, they have more of almost everything”- Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov opens up about difficulties of war against Russia

In a recent interview with The Daily Mail, former tennis player Alexandr Dolgopolov shared his firsthand experiences on the front lines in Ukraine. Dolgopolov, who was once ranked World No. 13, has swapped his tennis racket for military gear, fighting against Russian forces in his homeland.

Alexandr Dolgopolov, who enlisted in the Ukrainian army 18 months ago, recounted a particularly intense encounter while stationed in a trench.

"We had worked fifteen hours the day before and then were back on at 4am, so we were all just like zombies having energy drinks. Then we knew that one mortar is firing every two minutes, and the second one is firing 40 seconds after that, and it was just getting closer. You're a metre underground. It’s coming to within 30 metres, and then 20 metres and then it got as close as 15. That’s close for 120 millimetre," he explained.

Reflecting on the battlefield's realities, Dolgopolov highlighted the disparities in resources and equipment between the Ukrainian and Russian forces.

"It's a big problem - if there's a day of battle Russians put out 15 heavy armor vehicles, we put out five. They have an advantage in shells and in heavy armor. So that's why it's getting so tough. It's just mathematically impossible. They have more people, they have more of almost everything," he stated.

Alexandr Dolgopolov, working as a drone operator, not only helps steer attacks but also collects critical information for operations on the ground.

"You show them where to shoot, they see the video and they can work more accurately. Then there’s the gathering of info for any operation on the ground, maybe an assault. When our guys are pushing, we control that from the sky. You learn what weaponry the enemy have, how it sounds, where they can see you. When you're driving you have to understand where the enemy can have visual contact of your car, which is dangerous."

Despite his resilience, the toll of war is evident. Dolgopolov lamented the loss of friends and the mental strain of continuous conflict.

"We lost really good guy just two weeks ago. A nice guy, a Georgian. He actually took a loan from the bank to come to fight for Ukraine. So that was a painful loss for us, he was 25 years old. So yeah, the longer it goes, the more people you see dying around you."

"Life is more stressful" - Alexandr Dolgopolov shares the mental toll of war in Ukraine

Alexandr Dolgopolov at AEGON Championships 2017

Alexandr Dolgopolov, formerly a top-ranked tennis player, is now navigating the harsh realities of war in Ukraine. Dolgopolov recently spoke about how the war in Ukraine has mentally affected him.

"For sure I'm not as happy as I used to be, life is more stressful. I used to be a really easygoing person, always smiling and joking. We still joke but you pay the toll of the war, it's mentally exhausting, you pay for it."

Dolgopolov further elaborated on the challenges faced by Ukrainian forces due to insufficient resources compared to Russia which has no shortage of military hardware.

"Unfortunately, our partners don't have a goal of us winning. It's obvious for everyone that we are getting just enough to keep going but not to win. From our side on the battlefield, it's obvious that we don't have enough to finish this."

In discussing the daily realities of warfare, Alexandr Dolgopolov expressed the harsh conditions and imminent dangers encountered on the battlefield:

"If someone does a bad job in hiding and they see you, they start shooting and that's the worst part. You just try to stay in the trench and hope nothing lands on you."