Ex-Ukraine star Voronin quits coaching job at Dynamo Moscow

Berlin (AFP) – Former Ukraine international and Liverpool forward Andriy Voronin has quit his coaching role at Dynamo Moscow over Russia’s invasion of his home country.

The 42-year-old gave up his job as assistant coach and flew with his family to Germany.

“I can’t live in a country that’s at war with my country,” he told Munich-based Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

“Everything that’s happening in my home country is a catastrophe, a big catastrophe, it depresses me a lot.”

Voronin, who also played for German sides Bayer Leverkusen, Mainz, Borussia Moenchengladbach and Hertha Berlin during his career, said he is shocked by the “horrible” images of war in his country.

“I can’t bear it. I still have a lot of friends in Kyiv, including former comrades from the national team.”

Other football coaches have also abandoned their roles in Russia.

On Wednesday, German coach Daniel Farke said he left his role in charge of Russian top-flight club Krasnodar “over the current political developments”.

The former Norwich City manager had only been in Russia for seven weeks, without overseeing a single game.

On Tuesday, German coach Markus Gisdol said he had quit as head coach of Lokomotiv Moscow over the invasion of Ukraine, but the club claimed he was “dismissed”.