Ukraine midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk will compete in Euro 2024 knowing his family faces Russian missiles “day and night” in his hometown of Krasnograd.
Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Mudryk is one of 13 Ukrainian players who shared their experiences of the war’s impact on their hometowns in a video produced by the nation’s football association.
The video also featured Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bournemouth defender Ilya Zabarnyi, and Dynamo Kyiv striker Mykola Shaparenko, who revealed that his childhood village of Velyka Novosilka “was completely destroyed by Russia.”
Ukraine’s football team will play Romania in their opening match at the European Championship in Germany on Monday (14:00 BST).
Chelsea midfielder Mudryk stated: “Since the beginning of the full-scale war, my city has been bombarded with missiles day and night.” He added that his parents remain in Krasnograd, continuing to build their lives there while believing in Ukraine’s victory.
The city, also the birthplace of Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, is located in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine.
In 2022, Ukrainian troops regained control of certain areas in the region through a counter-offensive.
In May, the Russian military initiated a renewed offensive in the Kharkiv region.
Andriy Shevchenko, the former Chelsea striker who is now president of Ukraine’s football association (UAF), said: “Our cities desire to host the Euros, but now they are fighting not for the tournament, but for freedom.
“There is no Ukrainian football player, city, stadium, playground, or child untouched by the war.”
The UAF added, “football, like all sports, is not beyond politics” and called on all Euro 2024 countries “to help Ukraine”.