Ukraine: 'Like a zombie movie without the zombies'

War has been raging in Europe for weeks now. Numerous athletes have remained in their Ukrainian homeland to fight – not for medals, but for survival. Three of them shared their stories with DW.

Kharkiv has been one of the targets of heavy Russian artillery

Kyiv resembles a ghost town these days. Mayor Vitali Klitschko has imposed a curfew, and there is great concern about further heavy air attacks by the Russian armed forces.

Only people with special permission are allowed to venture out. Sergiy Stakhovsky is one of those who has been given such permission. The 36-year-old called time on his professional tennis career in January and now he patrols the streets of Kyiv alongside other soldiers.  

Feelings of guilt

Stakhovsky was on vacation with his family on February 24 when Russian launched its invasion of Ukraine. 

"It wasn't the best start to the day when we got the news that Ukraine was under attack," Stakhovsky told DW. "I immediately turned on the TV and then saw the explosions in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Mariupol. It wasn't easy. At first I didn't understand what was happening." 

Sergiy Stakhovsky has traded in his tennis racket for a Kalashnikov

Just a few days later, Stakhovsky flew back to his homeland, where he was conscripted. Since then, he has been separated from his family. 

"I feel guilty towards my children and my wife, because I had to leave them behind," he said, adding: "I didn't talk about it with my wife for a long time. She was crying. If we had talked about it in more depth, I wouldn't have gone. I wouldn't have had the courage to leave my family behind." 

'No war in Ukraine'

Vladyslav Heraskevych lives in Zhytomir, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) west of Kyiv. Just days before Russia's invasion, the skeleton athlete used the Beijing Winter Olympics to make a political point. "No war in Ukraine" read the sign that he held up for the television cameras. 

"I did it to show the world that we Ukrainians are a peaceful people and don't want war," Heraskevych explained. "I got a lot of negative comments from Russia, including from politicians and other important people. But there were also many positive reactions from the rest of the world." 

A few days after he returned home from China, he was awoken by a bomb scare. Since then, the 23-year-old student has also been in the middle of the war – something he doesn't find easy to talk about.

Vladyslav Heraskevych used his stage at the Olympics to get his message out to the world

"Explosions were heard everywhere," he said. "Just a few weeks ago, we were at the Olympics, competing for medals for our country. A short time later, we're at war and everything you've accomplished in your career suddenly doesn't matter. Because now it's about our country." 

He is among the athletes who have written letters to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) calling for Russian athletes to be suspended from competition. 

'True information from Ukrainians' 

Heraskevych has been supporting volunteer fighters since the start of the war. But he has also taken it upon himself to use his prominence as an athlete to spread information about the war through his social media channels. 

"I have many friends all over Ukraine and they send me videos and photos, which I then distribute through my channels. It's very important to spread information about our situation here," Heraskevych said. "It's true information from Ukrainians."

 

The videos and photos that reach the athlete and that he spreads show the destruction of Ukraine: burning buildings, fleeing families. Every day, the number of victims rises. 

"The buildings and roads can be rebuilt. But the people who die don't come back," Heraskevych said. "Children lose their parents or parents lose their children. I, too, have already lost some friends. It hurts a lot, it's a nightmare." 

Despite everything, he tries to stay positive. "We will rebuild our country. We will be proud of our country and try to develop it again in the future," said the skeleton athlete, who hopes "that soon many people will be able to visit Ukraine again and see how beautiful it is here." 

Never going home again

Even further west in Ukraine, Olena Kryvytska had just returned from walking her two dogs when DW reached her. It is a slice of normality that she is trying to maintain, because not much is left of her old life. A day after her birthday on February 23, her town was attacked.

"We packed up what we needed in 15 minutes and got in the car with our two dogs to go to a safe place," the epee fencer recalled. "We left our house, our home, and we will probably never see it again."

Every morning, she and her family are woken up by loud sirens that warn of new attacks.

Olena Kryvytska had to flee her home in the early hours of the war

"This can last up to four hours," Kryvytska told DW. "During this period, we wait in a shelter and I try to read up on what is happening. Things can change at any time."

She phones friends, makes inquiries and helps people in her neighborhood.

"I try to find shelters for families who have had to leave their homes. Sometimes I buy medicine, food or other essentials and take them to collection points where volunteers redistribute them."

One big team

Kryvytska is among the best epee fencers in the world, but sports are not her focus right now.

"I will return to fencing soon, but that's not the most important thing right now," the 35-year-old said. "My international fencing friends support me every day. So fencing is still part of my life."

Kryvytska emphasizes that Ukraine is now one big team, one big family.

"We want to fight the enemy who has come to our home to destroy it," she said.

No matter how difficult the situation, Kryvytska is clear: "Ukraine will rise like a phoenix from the ashes. We are a very strong, free and independent people who love our country. We will never give up."

A zombie movie, without the zombies

Giving up is not an option for former tennis pro Stakhovsky either. Instead of wielding a racket, he now patrols the streets of Kyiv with a machine gun slung over his shoulder.

"I'm on patrol for two hours, and in between I try to help the other people in Kyiv, helping them distribute humanitarian aid," he said.

Russian attacks have reduced parts of Kyiv to rubble

Stakhovsky was born and raised in Kyiv and has many friends in the city. Walking the streets, he is reminded of his peaceful childhood.

"This is a disaster," he said. "The streets are empty and when you walk along the ones you used to play on as a little kid and there are concrete blocks or checkpoints everywhere, it doesn't feel real. It's like being in a zombie movie, but without the zombies."

'Nation standing together'

After 10 days, Stakhovsky said, he got used to the situation. But he will never get used to shells falling on residential areas and the killing of civilians.

"I don't think the Russians will take Kyiv. Our Ukrainian troops will stop the enemy from doing so, I am sure," he said.

He also believes it is important that famous Ukrainians demonstrate that they have not abandoned the country.

"The nation is standing together. But more importantly, we need to show that we are not Nazis, as Putin claims. In Ukraine there is freedom of speech, every person is free to do what he or she wants," Stakhovsky said. "In Russia, that is not the case."


UKRAINIAN SPORTS STARS WHO HAVE TAKEN UP ARMS

Dmytro Pidruchnyi (Biathlon)
After his return from the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Dmytro Pidruchnyi enrolled in the Ukrainian National Guard to fight after Russia’s invasion of his country. The 30-year-old is a former European champion biathlete and has been to two Olympic Games.
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 This article was translated from German.