Ukrainian defender Dmitry Litvin, who has been playing for the Russian SKA-Khabarovsk since 2021, spoke about his departure from this club. Since March, the footballer has been playing for the Faroese Klaksvik, and then moved to the Portuguese third division club Lusitania.
Dmitry Litvin
- Before the Faroe Islands, there was Russia in your career. How did the management of SKA-Khabarovsk react to your request to terminate the contract?
- It went towards. I did not contact the management, but called the agent and said that I would not play here. How? My parents are sitting there under the bombing and all my fellow countrymen, but am I going to sit here to earn money? No.
- How did your teammates react to Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
- No way. In fact, I tried not to communicate with anyone there. I was very upset, because at first it was morally very difficult. Well, the boys came there and supported. For someone to gloat, there was no such thing.
- Did any of them openly declare that Russia is an aggressor?
- Not. There's no chance. The team is state-owned and the state pays the money. Allocates to the governor, and he - to the team.
— Did they tell you personally? It is from Russian football players.
- I practically do not communicate with anyone. There are a few regular guys who wrote messages of support. This is in the first days, and now there is no communication with anyone. What to communicate about?
The boys have called before. I was in Russia in two teams. One even wrote two weeks before the war: “Take your family out, a war is planned.”
— Were there those who openly supported Putin and believed his every word?
“I think it’s the older ones there. The masseurs are probably like that. Guys... We didn't discuss politics with them. Plus, we had Ukrainians in the team, so it was better not to touch us. We were together.
- From the environment in Russia with which you communicated, how many of them are adequate?
“Maybe there are a few people, but I stopped communicating. And this is such a communication - they just subscribe to each other on Instagram. Yes, only because they said: "Tin is being created", etc.
Others are afraid, frightened. Basically, like their whole country. Well, the person who helped me get there was also normal and even apologized. He said that he was ashamed of his country.
- Why did Tymoshchuk not leave Russia, do you think?
- Tymoshchuk got greedy. I think that he also believed that Ukraine would be captured in three days.
- Are your relatives in Ukraine or left?
- Mom left - somewhere in three or four months, and father is in Kyiv. My sister is in Kyiv, my uncle is serving on the front line in the Armed Forces of Ukraine now. There is a guy with whom we played together in Portugal, he is also in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- What's his name?
— Anton Dolgy. He played with us in the first league for Helios. Then we went to Portugal together, that was five or six years ago. And they played together.
- No one was injured as a result of hostilities in your native places?
- We know each other like that, but relatives are alive and whole, thank God.
Evgeny Chepur
