Manchester City, an English football team, has welcomed a Ukrainian refugee to utilize their training facilities after his contract with a Russian club was terminated.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Andriy Kravchuk, a former teammate of Manchester City star Oleksandr Zinchenko in the Shakhtar Donetsk academy, resigned his contract with Torpedo Moscow.
Manchester City announced on Thursday, March 31 that the 23-year-old has begun training with the club’s Elite Development Squad and will stay with the Premier League champions until the end of the season.
After fleeing to Manchester, Zinchenko assisted in the arrival of the Ukraine Under-21 international.
“The only option was to leave the club,” Kravchuk remarked.
‘I was quite uneasy.’ If I continued to play in Ukraine, the people would not understand me. It’s hard for me to accept it’s happened. In the twenty-first century, in the heart of Europe. I’m still at a loss for words.’ While on pre-season with Torpedo Moscow in Turkey, Kravchuk became aware of the attacks on his nation.
On February 24, after the first missiles were launched at his homeland, his mother awoke him at 5 a.m.
‘The first thing she said to me was, “Russia is bombarding us.” It’s astonishment. Inside, I was a wreck. I’m always getting messages with bombing alerts because I’m in groups on my phone. I’m always nervous when those alerts come through. Your main concern is that my family will perish.’
He will move into one of City’s academy flats next week, according to the club, as he is still staying in a hotel as of press time.