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USA Today via Reuters

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USA Today via Reuters

Ukrainian WTA icon Elina Svitolina made headlines when she refused to play against Russian and Belarusian players after the widely criticized Russian invasion of Ukraine. Continuing to show her support towards her countrymen and advocating to eliminate the cause of their plight, Svitolina has yet again taken to her Instagram. In a story shared with her fans and followers, Elina made it clear that she is a proud Ukrainian and still very much resonates with their cause.

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Founder of the renowned Virgin Group, Richard Branson, recently announced an ambassadorship with the United 24- a venture by the President of Ukraine to raise funds for the welfare of Ukrainian war victims of the Russo-Ukrainian war. This move by one of the UK’s most famous entrepreneurs has caused quite a hubbub in international politics. With $305 raised under the program as of 2nd April 2023, it is expected that Branson’s engagement with the initiative will popularize and expedite the funding.

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Elina Svitolina supports Ukraine again

Svitolina seems to be extremely encouraging with this generous move by the capitalist, as is evident by her Instagram story. A few hours ago, the news went viral and Svitolina was quick to go online to talk about it. Reposting the viral Twitter post by the official U24 account, she put it on her Instagram story with pride. 

Read more: ‘My Body Can’t Handle It Anymore’ – Elina Svitolina to Take a Break From Tennis

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The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, also expressed his happiness at this collaboration. He stated, “I am glad that you [Branson] have decided to become a United24 ambassador. It is very important that new famous and influential personalities join this platform.” Outlining their major goals going forward, he said, “One of the main tasks is to keep the world’s attention on Russia’s war against Ukraine, which has been ongoing for over a year. In addition, there are very specific issues on which we can work together”. 

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Branson, too, expressed his gratitude at the opportunity and advocated the Ukrainian cause. He promised to try and bring together the best resources from his network as a leading entrepreneur and help support the country in this time of crisis. He said, “I look forward to using Virgin Unite’s global reach and networks to help support United24’s work for the people of Ukraine”.

Svitolina has always been a proud Ukrainian, and she has repeatedly voiced against the participation of Russian and Belarusian players in the game. Holding a career-high ranking of world no.3 in singles, she is now in her best form of the season and might soon make Ukraine prouder for her than it ever could be.

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Annesha Banerjee

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Annesha Banerjee is a content manager at EssentiallySports. She comes with five years of experience in content management and sports journalism. Currently pursuing a master's in English literature, she brings a fandom for the sport to the table that drives her fan-driven approach to the tennis coverage at EssentiallySports. A lifelong tennis enthusiast, Annesha admires the artistry of Roger Federer, the dominance of Novak Djokovic, and the trailblazing legacy of Serena Williams, who she has been fangirling over since the age of 8. Beyond tennis, Annesha is an adrenaline junkie with a love for adventure sports. She also enjoys reading and cooking and passionately cares for stray animals.

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Tony Thomas

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