Hong Kong (CNN)Ukrainian professional soccer player Alexshria Kotin is from a distance of 1 km from the Russian bomb. After running away, I asked my parents to run away. Kieu's house.
However, they asserted that it was okay to hide in an old apartment in the lush suburbs of Bucha.
Thankfully, Shliakotin's parents were convincing, but eventually came. Escaped shortly before the first Russian tank appeared. Currently, they are waiting for refugee status in Germany and are grateful to their sons and daughters for each call. phone.
"Then the guy in the video says it's Bucha's Vokzalna Street. Literally it's my street where I spent my childhood, went to school and walked thousands of times. If my parents were still there, they probably wouldn't be alive. Our house was destroyed.
"A few weeks later there was a scene where people were lying hand in hand on the road. I shot their heads. It just. Can't handle. The god they left.
Dangerous Journey
Shriacotin doesn't know what happened to her parents' apartment. 34}
It was a dangerous trip for a couple in their 60s who had to drive away because the airport was heavily bombarded. The temperature was below 0 degrees and there was no spare clothes.
The roads with Ukrainians fleeing were very crowded and some took children and animals on foot. It took four days to reach the border with Poland, usually eight hours.
"Sounds like a movie of some sort. On the final day, they helped bring three children from another family across the border. The father in the lane behind them. Because he couldn't leave the country, "Shriakotin said.
Soccer players are not seeking sympathy.
"The story sounds wild, but we have to understand that we are lucky. No complaints. Now in Ukraine, if you have lost your apartment but everyone is alive (that) If), I wouldn't even open my mouth and say something bad happened, "he said.
"(Many children) live without parents. People write their phone numbers, names, and dates of birth on their backs in case they die the next day."
Higher Goals
What Sriakochin-the goalkeeper of the former Ukrainian youth team-but seeks funding to help those stuck in their hometown I am.
And he found an amazing level of support in his adopted Hong Kong hometown.
Starting his football career at the famous Dynamo Kyiv Youth Academy, Shliakotin, now 32, has been a favorite of Hong Kong fans since moving to the top league in 2016.
And he found him and can take advantage of his popularity for good reason, and he receives an overwhelming response to his Instagram video post asking the Hong Kongers for help.
"I received thousands of support messages from day one," he said. He was shocked by how many people wanted to help, "he said.
His complaint helped fund nine ambulances sent to Ukraine. Those ees were specially paid for by donations from Hong Kong and countless small offerings.
"There was one man who contacted me on Facebook, and Mr. Lam wrote," Hi Alex. " Looking at the Ukrainian news, he wants to donate HK $ 10,000 (about $ 1,300), but I want to help certain people and families who really need it. If you know anyone, please let me know.
"I just heard from Chernihiv's mother and two daughters who were in a panic when their house was destroyed and they couldn't go anywhere. So we sent them money.
"My family was shocked. I couldn't believe this was possible. I believed that a man in Hong Kong, a place I had never heard of, would suddenly help me."
"These are the moments when I know that humanity is still alive, that is, there are still good things in the world."
Team Efforts
Two close friends are helping Shliakotin's efforts.
Oresta Brit is a volunteer who has been feeding and transporting children and the elderly since Russia annexed Crimean in 2014. RomanZozulya is a former Dynamo Kyiv youth teammate playing in Spain, who should repair the ambulance in that country before purchasing, servicing or sending it to Ukraine.
Each ambulance requires a document from the Ukrainian embassy and must be registered with a specific army.
When these boxes are checked, "We pack humanitarian aid into ambulances, volunteers drive them to the border, and then my (team) takes them over to their final destination." And Shria Cotin.
Zozulya said he and Sriakochin are only part of a network of overseas Ukrainian soccer players "united to help".
"Some people are fighting on the front lines, but we have our own role as public figures," Zozulya said.
"We have this opportunity that no one else has. We can talk to the whole world and listen to a huge number of people."