Witnessing the war: how Ukrainian badminton players and coaches met the Russian aggression
On February 24th, Russian Federation invaded Ukraine. Kyiv, the city of nearly 5 million people which just 9 months hosted European championships was heavily bombed in the morning. Russian troops have crossed Ukrainian borders in all directions and started the war that has already become the largest escalation in Europe since WW2.
The day before the invasion, on February 23rd, another Ukrainian city, Dnipro, welcomed top badminton players at the National cup. Everyone had a hope the worst scenario will not come.
How Ukrainian badminton players, coaches, and managers met the first 2 days of the war? Read in our first-hand report.
We will never forget the crime of Putin’s regime. Share these stories and do what you can to help Ukraine and Ukrainians.
All the comments were received on February 26th.
Tetiana Potapenko, professional badminton player and coach from Mykolaiv city.
We were at the tournament at the Ukrainian Cup in Dnipro city. I woke up at 6 am not from the alarm clock but the messages saying we had to escape quickly. The news all-around said that military objects throughout Ukraine were attacked.
We decided to leave Dnipro, the road was ok, but there was a traffic jam in the cities and at gas stations. Finally, we arrived at Mykolaiv, my hometown. Someone left the town, someone stayed. The city appeared unprepared for war. The basements are unsafe, it’s cold, there are no toilets, and some are closed.
On the first day, I was very scared and nervous; I didn’t sleep, felt sick, I didn’t eat… The same was with many of my friends. Large supermarkets work, pharmacies do not, and this is a problem, I arrived with a cold and couldn’t buy medicines, my friends helped me.
Children from my group live in my area. We meet with them in basements, “bomb shelters,” but many stay at home; they are already used to sirens and explosions. The first day was a shock, now everyone adapted. We keep in touch with everyone in the badminton group, help and support each other. I transferred as much money as I could for the army; fortunately, I received my salary the day before yesterday. Only two days have passed, and it feels like two weeks… I worry about life, for the lives of your children, for your relatives.
Natalia Rakytianska, Badminton Umpire from Kyiv.
I was on my train to Dnipro city when the war has started. I went from Kyiv to Dnipro, where the National Cup had to take place. I woke up at 6.15 am, my friend asked me where I was. I said that I was almost in Dnipro, she told me to read the news and take care of myself. After I read the first news, I understood that everyone was afraid of has come.
In the beginning, I did not know what to do. After some thinking, I decided to take the first train and move back to Kyiv. I was lucky to take the last train going to Kyiv. It had to depart at 9.57 but left the station only at 11. We were in Kyiv only at 11.15 pm. I was lucky to get home as my friend’s husband met her at the station. The curfew started at 10 pm in Kyiv…
The most challenging thing to do in the first days of the war was to decide what I do… I had several options… Depart to Vinnytsia where my parents live but the large military base is located, go to the Western part of Ukraine, stay in Dnipro, and go back to Kyiv… My cat stayed at home in Kyiv. I decided to go back and save it. So the next day I left Kyiv and went to my parents.
Artem Pochtarev, three times National Champion of Ukraine, Olympic Games participant, Rio-2016 and Tokyo-2020.
I got a few calls from my parents in the morning, but I did not hear these calls. Later, at 6.55, I got a call from my friend. He told me: “Artem, it has started”.
“What has started?” I asked. Immediately after, I understood everything.
I woke up my girlfriend and asked her to gather a first aid bag. The first day was not too complicated. We gathered our bags, and I spent the whole day reading the news and learning how to behave in this situation. Finally, we were ready to leave the apartments and escape the basement.
On the second day, we picked up my girlfriends’ mother. Her husband decided to join territory defense forces. It took us 2 hours to over 10 kilometers distance. The traffic jam was everywhere. There was no more fuel on the stations.
Later we stayed at home; I refused to leave the city. I thought that it was even more dangerous to drive at that time…
The whole night today, we did not sleep. Several times we had to hide in the basement. I have thoughts of joining the territorial defense forces but still thinking of… I do not have any military skills or knowledge.
Mykhailo Sterin, the Head Coach at Kharkiv Badminton Sports Club.
Anna Kryuchkova (coach at Kharkiv Badminton Sports Club) and I stay in Dnipro city with 16 children. The second day of the Ukrainian Cup began at 5.15 AM with the sound of rocket explosions. Military objects in Dnipro were attacked. We decided to stay in the city and act according to the situation. To go back home with a group of children was not an option at all.
Anna Kryuchkova (coach at Kharkiv Badminton Sports Club) and I stay in Dnipro city with 16 children.
The disturbance passed with the first breaks at 5.15 in the morning. Clarity has come. A day before I felt that something very bad might come, so I fueled up the car.
It is quiet in Dnipro now. Children understand everything. They grew up in a day… I talk to their parents. They agree with me that decision was right. Our native city, Kharkiv, is heavily bombed. Our native region is invaded. They (Russians) do not neglect any methods. So, we just need to believe and do everything to ensure our tomorrow.
Anastasiia Prozorova, professional badminton player from Kharkiv. Together with other national team players staying in Uganda, where the team went for the tournament day before the war has begun.
I woke up in the morning and saw a message from my mother:
“Baby, good morning! Ukraine has been attacked… The war has begun. Ukraine closes the airspace. Everything is fine on our side. We love you”.
After that, I spent several hours trying to figure out what was going on.
I wake up at about 8 AM in the morning, it’s 7 am in Ukraine. During the first day, I scrolled the news feed all the time, called my parents, tried to support my younger brother, but burst into tears.
I could not play, because I was stressed.. the situation, parents, friends, the impossibility of returning home. Only tomorrow, we have a flight to Milan.
This report has made with a few purposes:
- To document the crimes made by Putin’s regime.
- To encourage all official badminton organizations to exclude Russia and Russian players from all the possible tournaments.
- To share the truth.
If you wish to support Ukrainian Army protecting the Ukrainian people, you are welcome to visit the website: https://bank.gov.ua/ua/news/all/natsionalniy-bank-vidkriv-spetsrahunok-dlya-zboru-koshtiv-na-potrebi-armiyi
By Max Sydorenko, Kyiv-Cherkasy, Ukraine, 26.02.2022
