The former power forward spent seven seasons at the Los Angeles Lakers, winning NBA titles in 2001 and 2002 alongside the likes of American stars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

His two championship rings are expected to raise at least $100,000 (£83,000/€98,000) at the auction which is due to run until August 5.

All the money raised is set to go to Medvedenko's Fly High Foundation with the aim of repairing the sporting infrastructure of schools in Ukraine - much of which has been destroyed in the war.

"We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than 100 schools," Medvedenko told the Associated Press.

"Our country, they need a lot of money to fix the schools. 

"Sports gyms are going to be last in the line to fix it. 

"In Ukraine, we have winter and kids need to play inside."

Ukraine has been under attack since Russia, aided by Belarus, launched a full-scale invasion on February 24.

At least 5,110 civilians have been killed since the start of the war, according to the United Nations, with more than 9.5 million people forced to flee the country.

It is believed that the death true civilian death toll is considerably higher.

Medvedenko, who is married with two daughters and one son, lives in Kyiv but sent his children to live with their grandmother in a different part of Ukraine when the country came under attack.

The 43-year-old said the decision to sell his two rings came after going to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in his Kyiv neighbourhood and witnessing the devastation caused by Russian forces.

"In this moment I just decided, 'Why do I need these rings if they’re just sitting in my safe?'" Medvedenko said.

Medvedenko started his career at Budivelnyk Kyiv in Ukraine before having spells at Lithuanian outfit Alita Alytus and Ukrainian club Kyiv.

He played for the Lakers between 2000 and 2006 before finishing his career with the Atlanta Hawks in 2007.