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‘We have to keep defending our country’: Sporting icon Andriy Shevchenko on ensuring the war struggle isn’t neglected
By sports correspondent Rob Harris
Andriy Shevchenko is more familiar representing Ukrainians as a sporting icon than any form of statesman.
But like all Ukrainians he is adapting to wartime.
The country’s footballing great is using his voice to ensure the war struggle isn’t neglected.
“We have to keep defending our country,” Shevchenko tells Sky News.
“We have to do everything to provide for our children and our young generation to have a future – and that future to be Ukraine, an independent country.”
It is about more than raising awareness. Raising funds is necessary to begin the rebuilding – particularly schools attacked by Russian missiles.
It is important so education is not lost even as Ukraine’s efforts are primarily on repelling the invasion.
But hundreds of schools have been ruined or partially destroyed as Shevchenko saw on a recent trip back to see one in Chernihiv.
The former Chelsea forward is hoping cash for the project comes from football fans in England with a charity match at his former club.
The 46-year-old will be captaining one of the all-star sides at Stamford Bridge for Game4Ukraine on 6 August.
“It is not just about raising the funds,” Shevchenko says.
“But also about sending the message that sport, society, the football legends are all together.
“We try to work together for a very important cause to help the Ukrainian children, also to send the message that Ukrainian people are not alone.”
There is a longing for Russia to change course 18 months into the full-scale invasion, with some encouragement offered by the short-lived rebellion launched by Yevgeny Prigozhin last weekend.
Commenting on the encouragement offered by the short-lived rebellion launched by Yevgeny Prigozhin last weekend, Shevchenko said: “It gives hope to everyone in the beginning but I think it is a good news because that means inside of Russia some people start to be against the war and not happy about this full scale invasion to Ukraine and that always is positive news.
“But I think we will just have to do everything that we can to stop the war and to win the war.”
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