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This Ukrainian footballer’s parents fled Bucha. Now he’s sending ambulances for those who remain
However they had been adamant they’d be effective hiding out of their outdated condominium within the leafy suburb of Bucha.
Fortunately, whereas Shliakotin’s dad and mom took some convincing, they did ultimately come round — fleeing simply earlier than the primary Russian tanks rolled in. Now they’re awaiting refugee standing in Germany and tearfully thank their son and daughter with every phone name.
“Then the man within the video says it is Vokzal’na Road, Bucha. That is actually my road, the place I spent my childhood, the place I went to high school, the place I’ve walked hundreds of instances. If my dad and mom had nonetheless been there, they most likely would not be alive. Our home was destroyed.
“A number of weeks after that, there have been scenes of individuals simply laying on the street with their arms tied, shot of their heads. It is simply … unattainable to course of. Thank God they left.”
A journey fraught with hazard
Shliakotin would not know what occurred to his dad and mom’ condominium, as all their neighbors fled too.
It was a journey fraught with hazard for the couple, of their 60s, who needed to escape by automobile as a result of the airport was below heavy shelling. Temperatures had been under zero and so they had no spare garments.
So crowded had been the roads with fleeing Ukrainians — a few of them main youngsters and animals on foot — that it took them 4 days to achieve the Polish border, a journey that will usually take eight hours.
“It appears like some form of film. On the final day, they helped convey three children from one other household throughout the border, as a result of the daddy within the lane behind them could not go away the nation,” Shliakotin mentioned.
The footballer just isn’t looking for sympathy.
“You must perceive that whereas the tales sound wild, we’re type of fortunate. We have now nothing to complain about. Proper now in Ukraine, in case you misplaced your condominium however everyone seems to be alive (then) you do not even open your mouth to say one thing dangerous has occurred to you,” he mentioned.
“(Many youngsters) reside with out their dad and mom … persons are writing cellphone numbers, surnames and date of births on their children’ backs simply in case they die the following day.”
The next objective
What Shliakotin — a former Ukraine nationwide youth crew goalkeeper — is looking for, nonetheless, is funding to assist these caught again residence.
And he has discovered a stunning stage of assist in his adopted residence of Hong Kong.
Beginning his soccer profession on the prestigious Dynamo Kyiv youth academy, the now 32-year-old Shliakotin has been a Hong Kong fan favourite since transferring to its high league in 2016.
And he has discovered he can leverage that reputation for trigger, receiving an awesome response to his Instagram video posts by which he asks Hongkongers for assist.
“I obtained hundreds of messages of assist from day one,” he mentioned. “I used to be shocked at how many individuals wished to assist,” Shliakotin mentioned.
His appeals have since helped to fund 9 ambulances to be despatched to Ukraine, three of them paid for particularly by donations from Hong Kong, and numerous smaller choices.
“There was one man who contacted me on Fb, a Mr. Lam, who wrote ‘hey Aleks, I noticed the information on Ukraine and I wish to donate $10,000 Hong Kong {dollars} (about $1,300), however I wish to assist a particular individual or household who really want it. If you realize somebody, please let me know.’
“I had simply heard from a mom and two daughters from Chernihiv whose home was destroyed and had been in panic with nowhere to go. So we despatched the cash to them.
“The household had been shocked — they could not consider one thing like this was attainable. {That a} man from Hong Kong, a spot they did not hadn’t even heard of, would assist hastily.
“These are the moments the place I do know that humanity remains to be alive — that there’s nonetheless some good on the earth.”
A crew effort
Two shut mates are serving to Shliakotin in his efforts.
Oresta Brit is a volunteer who has been feeding and transporting youngsters and the aged since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, whereas Roman Zozulya is a former Dynamo Kyiv youth teammate taking part in in Spain, who helps to purchase, service and restore the ambulances in that nation earlier than they’re despatched to Ukraine.
Every ambulance wants documentation from the Ukrainian Embassy, then have to be registered to a particular army unit.
As soon as these containers are ticked, “we stuff our ambulances with humanitarian assist, and our volunteers drive them to the border, earlier than my (crew) takes over to the ultimate vacation spot,” Shliakotin.
Zozulya mentioned he and Shliakotin had been only one a part of a community of abroad Ukrainian footballers “uniting to assist.”
“Whereas some are combating on the entrance strains, now we have our personal [role] as public figures,” Zozulya mentioned.
“We have now this chance that others do not have — we are able to converse to the entire world and may be heard by an enormous variety of folks.”