Igor Tsyganik responds to Alexander Aliyev on "where was Andriy Shevchenko in the first days of the war"

Commentator Ihor Tsyhanyk responded to former Dynamo midfielder Oleksandr Aliyev about where Andriy Shevchenko was in the first days of the war.

"I have great respect for Aliyev. We have been communicating for a long time, but I strongly disagree with him about his statements about Shevchenko, as if he was not heard during the first four months of the full-scale war.

I can tell you for sure, because I witnessed it: Shevchenko was the first to call me on 24 February at 5 o'clock in the morning, asking what was happening. And during the first days of the war, we talked to him a lot. I was working at a news marathon at the time, and Shevchenko was constantly on the air, supporting our military. He declared his patriotic position from the very first day.

Then he started raising issues that were crucial for us in the foreign media. He consulted with us. During the first 15-20 days, Shevchenko had about 20 broadcasts a day. He told everyone about it. Some other editors-in-chief of sports publications can confirm my words.

He wanted to come, his mum was here, but as far as I understand, it was decided at the state level that it would be better for him to stay there and give the right messages to the whole world. It was necessary to draw attention to the war in Ukraine. The same applies to Zinchenko, Yarmolenko, Malinowski, Mykolenko, Zabarnyi, Yaremchuk, Kovalenko, Rebrov. Sergei Stanislavovich also called on the first day and asked: "What do you need? We will help everyone."

They organised the foundation in the first days, so I do not agree with Aliyev's opinion. I know certain political moments, negotiations in which Shevchenko took part, which I have no right to talk about. If he wants to, he will tell me. But he worked very hard in the early days. And when he was allowed to come to Kyiv, when it was already possible to get here, it was on 16 May, and we met with him on 17 May. That was when the conversation about United24 was just beginning to take shape. He worked very, very hard in this direction," Tsyganik said on the Tsyganik Live programme.