The war back home: Struggle continues for Inter Miami’s Sergii Kryvtsov

The Ukraine defender is enjoying life in MLS, but his home country is constantly on his mind

The soldier’s face is obscured, mostly covered by a camouflage balaclava, as is the weapon he clutches close to his torso. Falling snow makes gentle pops as he speaks to the camera in an unspecified forest glen, clad in combat fatigues. It looks cold, remote. On first glance, it’s an ominous visual as far as most Instagram posts usually go. But this is a note of thanks.“Slava Ukraini,” he begins.That patriotic salute, once banned in the Soviet Union, has surged into the mainstream global consciousness thanks to Ukraine’s tenacious resistance to the Russian invasion of their land, which began last February.

The logistics of that struggle have become an inescapable daily reality for Ukrainians around the world like Sergii Kryvtsov, the veteran center back who joined Inter Miami over the winter and has started every game for the club so far this season.The anonymous soldier in the video, posted on Kryvtsov’s Insta feed last April, is expressing praise and gratitude to him, Taras Stepanenko, Mykola Shaparenko and many of their fellow Ukrainian footballers for raising funds to procure vehicles, body armor, weapons and other combat necessities.“When you watch some videos, photos, from Ukraine and you’re not there, it’s very difficult,” Kryvtsov told Pro Soccer Wire in a one-on-one conversation at IMCF’s Fort Lauderdale training facility. “Some football players from Ukraine created a foundation and bought some armor, bought some — I don’t know how to say in English — some weapons. I don’t want to say we are spending a lot of money, but we help.”The value of those contributions is both practical and inspirational.“You guys know better than anyone how to win,” says the soldier to his soccer-playing compatriots, “and how to fight. Now we’re following your example. We will do everything to bring victory to our little country.”Even thousands of miles and an ocean away under the warm sun and swaying palm trees of south Florida, the war is always front of mind for Kryvtsov. How could it be otherwise?“Every day. Every day,” said Kryvtsov, pulling out his phone to show his feed on the Telegram app, a key information source for this very modern, very online conflict. “I spend a lot of time on the news.”He, his wife Julia and their three young children had to flee Ukraine on short notice last year, traveling thousands of miles overland across multiple neighboring countries, living out of suitcases. Kryvtsov was separated from his family for months until they recently arrived in Miami after their visa paperwork cleared.

“It was difficult when we moved to Moldova, after to Romania, lived there six, seven months,” the 32-year-old explained, recalling the frantic exodus they made with a group of friends, eight adults and 10 kids in all — plus one baby who arrived along the way, by a very pregnant mother who had to gauge when and where it would be best to give birth.“I think it’s 500 kilometers — we drove 15 hours,” Kryvtsov added. “Yes, it was difficult because we had some roads, six lanes, and all six lanes in one direction. A lot of traffic. It was 15 hours, then we stopped, had some rest. We [went to the] west part of Ukraine, were there two, three days and moved into Moldova, and after Romania, because our friend was pregnant, and they decided to have the baby in Romania, because we have some friends from there.”Kryvtsov’s parents still live in his hometown of Zaporizhzhia, close to the front lines of the ground war as well as the Russian-occupied nuclear facility where the vicious conflict has repeatedly raised the specter of an atomic catastrophe.

A general view of the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine on March 29, 2023. (Photo by ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP via Getty Images)

“You know, I don’t watch football in Ukraine,” admitted Kryvtsov, despite the domestic league where he made his name having resumed last year. “Only news about war, only some video about war. Because my parents are living in Zaporizhzhia. It’s a small city. But my parents can’t move, because my father works in a factory and this factory helps our army, [manufacturing] armor and other things.”The family had already tasted the pain and stress of war well before many of their countrymen: As a standout for Shakhtar Donetsk since 2010, Kryvtsov, his family and his teammates were initially displaced by the violence in and around that eastern Ukrainian city by Russian-backed separatists in 2014. The 13-time domestic champions and 2009 UEFA Cup winners had to relocate to Lviv, then to Kharkiv and later on to Kyiv over the ensuing years, and remain required to play their UEFA continental matches abroad, currently in Warsaw.“I lived in Donetsk when this war started,” noted Kryvtsov. “Moved to Kyiv, lived there almost nine years … [Last February] I heard some sound of explosions. My kids also got it. I don’t understand how it’s possible in our days.”He cherishes his nation and its people. He’d spent his entire professional career there before joining Miami. He’s still not sure whether he’ll stay in the United States for the long term, or return home when the time is right. And there’s palpable ambivalence about his current situation, with friends and loved ones in the shadow of war, some actively fighting on the front lines.“It’s my country. I grew up there and I love this country. I’m very proud that I am Ukrainian, and I’m very proud of our brave people. We now help each other and I believe in our victory,” said Kryvtsov, who has 32 caps for the Ukraine national team.“I’m really happy to be here. I like this place, I like this team, I like my teammates, because we have a friendly team,” he added. “It’s awesome, but I don’t know what, where I will live. I don’t know. Maybe after two or three years here, I’ll want to stay here. I also love my country. Difficult questions.”

(Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

He’s thrilled to find himself at Inter Miami. He’d long taken an interest in the club, keeping an eye on its birth via the Instagram posts of part-owner David Beckham. He was dazzled when the Herons rolled out their bright pink kits last year. Then when his agent informed him of the club’s interest in him in December, right around the time he and Julia celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary — which in Ukraine is dubbed the “pink anniversary” — it felt like fate.“It’s a very good team, great team, a team who wants to be on top. It’s a great facility, great pitches. I’m really excited. Because I understand we can and must be on top and win trophies,” said Kryvtsov, who won a whopping 17 titles at Shakhtar. “When you win one trophy, you need a second, you need a third, you need a fourth. I won a lot of trophies in Ukraine, and I understand when you’re on the top, it’s very good for you, personally and for the team.”In that regard, he’s an ideal signing at this point in Miami’s growth.“He’s played at the very, very top level, when you’re scouting games he’s played in, he’s played against Celtic, Real Madrid, Champions League games,” head coach Phil Neville told the Miami Herald when Kryvtsov arrived. “You’re assessing him against the world’s top players and when you see his calmness, quality, composure and experience you see there’s a player there that can help this relatively young group.“When we had the conversations with Sergii, it’s like conversations we’ve never had before. He didn’t really want any of the fluff and BS. He just wanted to talk football, wanted to know his role, what the team was like and how to win. Since he’s come in, the boys have seen someone who’s deadly serious about football and has great experience.”

Kryvtsov hopes he can carry the banner in his own best way, by advocating for the struggle back home, and representing as one of the few Ukrainians ever to play in MLS.“I think I’m useful, more helpful for my country here, because I can help make some donations to my country and help some people,” he said. “I must show our Ukrainian spirit.”

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As war with Russia rages on, Ukrainian golfers reunite in St. Andrews for memorable camp

How a group of women in an R&A program built a foundation to help the golf community in war-torn Ukraine.

When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February a group of young players in the Ukrainian Golf Federation’s development program was relocated across Europe.

For the first time since they were forced to flee their war-torn country, seven kids reconnected in Scotland at the Project Ukraine golf camp last week, which was organized by a group of women in the R&A’s Women in Golf Leadership Development Program.

The women were inspired by Veronika Rastvortseva, a colleague of theirs who gave an emotional account of what her family experienced in Ukraine while participating in an online workshop. From there Project Ukraine was founded to support the golf community in Ukraine.

“We’ve all watched the horrors unfold in Ukraine and we were compelled to help after listening to our colleague Veronika Rasvortseva describe what was going on around her in the early days of the invasion,” said Project Ukraine’s Toni Zverblis. “Thankfully, she managed to move her family out of the country but has been working tirelessly from her temporary home in Belgium on this project since then. She has helped the group liaise with the Ukrainian Golf Federation and the families whom we are supporting.”

The camp at the Macdonald Cardrona Hotel Golf & Spa featured golf clinics, health and mental skills sessions as well as Rules of Golf workshops. Last Saturday, a match was held against players from the Stephen Gallacher Foundation, a junior golf program in Scotland. On Sunday the camp attended the final day of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews where they were interviewed on Sky Sports and even met the likes of Rory McIlroy, Adrian Meronk and event winner Ryan Fox.

“I have no doubt this experience has changed their lives. The support they have had during this camp from the Project Ukraine team is enormous. I can’t describe how important it has been for these kids to be back together like a family, getting them back to the tee to play golf, and to just sit and chat in the lobby and share what they have been through over the past months,” said Rastvortseva, who attended the camp with her two daughters.

“Our goal was that the camp provided hope and inspiration,” said Zverblis. “We want to ensure that these young golfers’ dreams and ambitions are kept alive despite the devastation they face at home in Ukraine.”

“Their dreams have come true – they met Rory McIlroy and shook his hand. They had a welcome message from Tommy Fleetwood – it’s a dream for any junior. Unfortunately, all these kids have trauma – but for us, it was so important to keep them away from that for a short time,” added Rastvortseva. “It’s hoped that Project Ukraine will continue to be able to help other families and junior golfers because there are many others that need our assistance. They need support with education and getting them back out onto the golf course regularly. They need to remember those emotions that they felt when they were able to play golf in their home county, which unfortunately they haven’t been able to do for a long time.

“When these kids grow up in a few years they will understand even more how this camp has impacted their pathway. It’s inspiring.”

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Ukraine joins Spain-Portugal bid for World Cup 2030

“Ukraine cannot disappear from our minds once the war is over,” said Portugal’s FA president

Spain and Portugal’s federations have announced that Ukraine will join their bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

The bid was announced on Wednesday in Nyon, Switzerland at UEFA headquarters.

Portugal’s FA president Fernando Gomes said: “It’s an honor to include Ukraine in our bid. The two federations have informed UEFA of our intention, who have given us full support. Football is more than football.

“It’s a logical and natural decision. We’ve had the unconditional support of UEFA. Ukraine cannot disappear from our minds once the war is over. We have to give them hope.”

The Athletic reported that the Spanish and Portuguese federations have been in talks for months with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky over adding his country to the bid.

Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February and is still in the midst of a bloody war that has cost tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and seen towns across the country destroyed.

It wasn’t immediately made clear how Ukraine would co-host a tournament with two countries that are thousands of miles away, but The Guardian reported that Ukraine would host one of the groups if the bid is successful.

The Spanish federation said in a statement: “The candidacy (of Spain, Portugal and Ukraine) strengthens ties with Europe by generating hope and providing reconstruction tools to the Ukrainian people, who have expressed their pride and gratitude for participating in this project.”

The Iberian/Ukrainian bid faces competition from two other bids involving multiple countries: a bid from Egypt, Greece and Saudi Arabia, and a South American proposal from Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.

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Arash Markazi: Former Los Angeles …


For Alex Len, Avangard is where he had …

For Alex Len, Avangard is where he had his first in-game dunk. But it was not just Avangard— the gym in Kyiv where the national team trained since 2013 was also bombed. A year ago, Len got a hand tattoo of the official coat of arms of Ukraine, a trident meant to symbolize Ukrainian warriors of the past protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine today. He was on All-Star break last February when the escalation began. He tried to convince his family to evacuate early, selling it as a family vacation to Turkey, but they wanted to remain. “The day of the [February] 24th, I probably had maybe 200 plus messages,” he says.

That night, before tip-off of a home …

That night, before tip-off of a home game in Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center against the Denver Nuggets, the two teams stood at center court with arms locked for a moment of silence and solidarity for Ukraine. Above them the screen was black with the words “ні війні No War” in bold white font. Much like his countrymen in Ukraine, Len’s mind was not on basketball. He remained with the Kings. Dressed for games. Used practice and workouts as opportunities to clear his head, but emotional weight and bad news back home kept coming.

As the only two Ukrainians in the NBA, …

As the only two Ukrainians in the NBA, Len and Svi Mykhailiuk of the Toronto Raptors focused on mutual aid with the Hope For Ukraine Fund. The Kings made a donation, and Len said he’s had support from his teammates, coaches and other players around the League. He was surprised to receive calls from Bosnian NBA player Jusuf Nurkic and Italian pro Danilo Gallinari asking to help. The Hope For Ukraine Fund is helping to give support for refugees, medical and humanitarian aid, and in the long term, rebuilding sports infrastructure. “Everybody back home is saying humanitarian help is good, but it’s more needed for the army,” Len says.

Former Laker Stanislav Medvedenko selling rings to raise money for Ukraine

Former Los Angeles Lakers player Stanislav Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine. Source: Associated Press @ Sports Illustrated More on this storyline SCP Auctions is donating the entire final …

More on this storyline

 

SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko’s Fly High Foundation. Its goal is to support Ukrainian children by restoring the sports infrastructure of the war-torn country’s schools and launching a network of social sports clubs. “We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools,” he told The Associated Press by phone on Sunday. “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.” -via Sports Illustrated / July 24, 2022
Medvedenko said he decided to sell the rings after going to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in his Kyiv neighborhood and watching rockets launched by Russian forces streak through the night sky. “In this moment I just decided, ‘Why do I need these rings if they’re just sitting in my safe?’” Medvedenko said. “I just recognize I can die. After that, I just say I have to sell them to show people leadership, to help my Ukrainian people to live better, to help kids.” -via Sports Illustrated / July 24, 2022
Explosions punctuate the night sky over Kyiv as Slava Medvedenko stares through a pair of high-powered binoculars. An AK-47 at his side, he studies the black, forested expanse that separates him from the frontlines of Russia’s war in his native Ukraine. In the weeks following Vladimir Putin’s February order for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this is how Medvedenko spends many of his nights: Manning a guard station atop the tallest building in the Kyiv neighborhood he lives in with his wife and two of his children. For four hours every day he watches the road that stretches to the suburban battlefield and anticipates the moment the Russians will come. His efforts serve as a snapshot of the stiff civilian resistance experts have said Russian forces were not prepared to meet. -via The Athletic / May 25, 2022