Hibs striker 'inspired' by friends on Ukraine's front line, as football plays role in maintaining morale

SNS Group

With friends on the front line in Ukraine’s bid to repel Russian invaders, and a family who have become accustomed to daily missile attacks, warning sirens and the thousand other assorted terrors being suffered by citizens under siege, Mykola Kuharevich is highly unlikely to confuse football crises with real-world problems. The striker is fully aware of how lucky he is to be a couple of thousand miles west of the fighting.

In his brief, necessary and self-censored chats with pals manning the barricades against Vladimir Putin’s forces, however, Kuharevich has been reminded of sport’s role in maintaining national morale. Even if it’s only a 90-minute diversion, the opportunity to turn on, tune in and switch off from the war is priceless.

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The 23-year-old, back for a second spell at Hibs after completing his loan move from Swansea at the end of last week, understands that fans here in Scotland will have an interest in more than just his ability to score goals. Human nature dictates that they’ll be concerned about events back ‘home’ in the west of Ukraine.

“Some of my friends, people I know, they are right there on the front line,” he revealed, adding: “I speak to them sometimes. But it’s not good to speak, because people can overhear what we’re talking about, get information.

“We have to be careful what we say. We have to ask simple questions, nothing specific about where they are or what is happening.

“Of course I am inspired by them. They are big people, great people, who stay on the line now.

“We cannot imagine what they are feeling, staying and fighting for your place, for your children, for your future. Every day is so hard for them. We have to help them as much as we can – and ask the right people to help stop the war.”

Turning specifically to his worries over family members limited in their ability to flee the conflict zone, even for a short while, Kuharevich said: “Obviously it’s hard for me, a hard question. Since the war, I haven’t been home yet. It’s hard to get there now.

“And it’s also not allowed to even invite all of my family to come here. Only my mum and my sister have visited here.

“The rest of the family, I haven’t seen them since the start of the war. They can’t come here - and I haven’t been home. So it’s hard.

“I am in contact with them, of course. Every day. So my mum and sister have been over a few times, just for a vacation. They have told me about everything at home.

“From what they tell me, it’s not as bad as it was at the start of the war. But you never know what can happen every day, they know that.

“People have grown used to living with things every day – attacks, sirens, bombs, they know to expect it. It’s very dangerous, very scary, yet they are used to it now.”

In the midst of all the madness, sport has continued. Not quite uninterrupted. But rather remarkably, given the level of improvisation required.

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Ukraine sent 140 athletes to the Olympic Games now entering its closing stages in Paris. And the Ukrainian Premier League season has just kicked off.

Former Troyes forward Kuharevich, explaining the mental benefits he’s getting from being able to carry on playing, said: “For me, focusing on football is almost like a habit now. And football helps me to switch off from the situation back home.

“When I come to training or a game, when I step on the football pitch, I absolutely turn my mind onto the game. I try to enjoy myself, enjoy the team, enjoy the job I’m doing. That helps.

“But football means the people they can switch their minds off from the war. Every day there is news about the fighting, some good, some bad, but always this tension.

“Football can be a bit of a release of emotions. They are following all the Ukrainian Championship, our teams competing in Europe, the national team, Olympic Games now, it’s helping a bit.

“As players who are playing abroad, they’re also following us. They enjoy it if we do well.

“I don’t feel a responsibility. The most responsibility I feel is to me, for myself. I put pressure on myself to achieve as much as I can every day.”

Kuharevich is in line for a start against Celtic tomorrow, with Hibs desperately in need of a more physical presence up front. Having scored five goals from 10 starts during a previous loan spell at Easter Road, he’ll fancy his chances – assuming no injury worries – of bettering that tally this time around.

“When Hibs called, I was happy, because I had a good time here before,” he said, adding: “I enjoyed it. So I think I can keep scoring goals, keep playing well.

“My only goal is to help the team. Scoring. Keep scoring more and more goals.”