Former goalkeeper of Kryvbas from Kryvyi Rih, Andriy Klishchuk talked about life in Kryvyi Rih during the war.
Andriy Klishchuk— You lived and played in Kryvyi Rih — a city that is often under shelling. How did this affect your daily routine as a footballer? How did the preparation change when air raid alerts — became a habit rather than an exception?
— Living and playing in Kryvyi Rih was not easy. Constant alerts, shelling — especially in the first season. It was scary to bring the family; sometimes strikes even occurred during training. But everyone who stayed understood the conditions we were working in — and worked without complaints. Because we understood: it was much harder for our Armed Forces.
— At some point, players started leaving the team due to the security situation. How did the locker room cope with this? Was there fear?
— The hardest part was for the legionnaires — they often asked about the situation, not fully understanding what was happening. We were more oriented towards the news. But there was no opportunity to move to a safer city, so we adapted to the conditions.
— What kept you in the team when it was the hardest? Faith in the club? Mission? People?
— I was kept by the desire to play. I truly wanted to represent Kryvbas. The hardest moment — a shell landing in a playground near the base. It affected everyone.
— The topic of money — is always sensitive, but real. Were there delays? How did the management behave in difficult times? Was there a sense of honesty, stability?
— Football during wartime is unpredictable, and often lacks stability. It was not easy, and if I were to say that everything went smoothly — that would be a lie. But the main thing is to keep focus on the common goal, to understand the entire distance. Some things are better left off-camera.
Kateryna Bondarenko
