Former Ukraine goalkeeper recalls in detail how Shakhtar's first president was killed

Former Ukraine and Tavriya Simferopol goalkeeper Maksym Levytskyi recalled the tragic incident that took place in October 1995 at the Shakhtar vs Tavriya match. At the very beginning of that match, a powerful explosion occurred in the VIP box of the Shakhtar stadium. Among those killed was the first president, then owner of Shakhtar, Akhat Bragin, who, according to unofficial reports, was the main target of the attack.

"That match could be called a battle of clans. "Tavriya was financed by Bashmaky and the Greek gang(Bragin's nickname in criminal circles - ed.) held Shakhtar. I don't remember what the relationship was between them, but three of Hrek's men flew with us to the game.

The stands were far from the pitch. A few minutes after the game started, there was an explosion. Smoke started pouring out, and people started running towards the field. There were not many spectators. They all climbed over the fence because the concrete started to collapse.

I don't remember who the referee was(Anatoliy Zhosan from Kherson - ed.). It was his first match in the tower. The whistle blew. Sasha Haydash kicked the ball. The game stopped and, without any conspiracy, everyone went to the supporters' area. Our club cameraman Volodya was with us at the match, and he came in covered in whitewash and concrete fragments that cut his feet. No one knew what to do next. They bring the cameraman to life.

Police officers come into the locker room and tell us: "Guys, nothing happened. The explosion was outside the stadium, no one was killed. Go on playing". Volodya explodes and says: "Are you crazy? How did no one die? There's blood on all the walls! The explosives almost broke my legs. We're not going to play".

At the end of October, we finished the game. After that explosion, the whole Greek gang was shot in Simferopol. We were at the intersection of Kozlova and Sevastopolska, not far from the central market. The Greek cavalcade turned to the central market at the traffic lights. A man came up and shot them at point blank range. Almost like in the film about Commissar Katani," Ukrainian Football quoted Levytskyi as saying.