TMZ Sports · May 23, 2022
Fighting Russian Troops In Ukraine
2x Lakers champ Slava Medvedenko -- Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's former teammate in Los Angeles -- is doing everything in his power to protect his home country of Ukraine against Russian forces ... including picking up an AK-47.
Medvedenko, who spent 7 seasons in the NBA and won two championships ('01,'02) with Mamba in L.A., grew up in Ukraine and took up arms to help defend his country.
The 43-year-old has been involved in the war almost since the first day Vladimir Putin ordered his military to invade the sovereign country ... sparking one of the most violent conflicts in recent history.