Ukraine war veterans to be ringside for Usyk's heavyweight fight at Wembley Stadium
Andrii, alongside more than a dozen fellow war veterans, will be present at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night to witness Usyk's undisputed world heavyweight championship rematch against Daniel Dubois.
It is a rematch of their 2023 bout that Andrii watched under vastly different circumstances.
"I watched this fight on the front line on my phone," he told The Associated Press through an interpreter during a visit to the Ukrainian Embassy in London.
"We were watching very quietly but when he won there was loud noise — we really celebrated. So now, two years later, being here in person for the fight is a huge event."
He spoke on condition that only his first name be used, citing security concerns.
The veterans are employees of Ukraine 's largest private energy company DTEK, which has partnered with Usyk to raise awareness about the plight of the country's civilian energy infrastructure since the Russian invasion in February 2022.
Seldom travel
Most of them, including Andrii, had never traveled outside Ukraine before. They took a train to Warsaw and from there a flight to London, landing Thursday and going straight to a downtown hotel to meet Usyk.
'He told about his training sessions, how he prepared for the fight, but he also mentioned his journey from his childhood to becoming champion,' Andrii said. 'He's an ambassador of Ukraine and he supports energy workers. He can bring attention to the problem.'
Russia has repeatedly struck Ukraine's power grid during the war. At one point, 90 per cent of DTEK's thermal generation capacity was damaged or destroyed.
More than 300 DTEK workers have been killed in the war and 900 more injured, mostly while fighting.
Andrii, who lives about 70 kilometers (44 miles) from the front line in eastern Ukraine, had served two years in combat and described his injuries — a concussion and taking shrapnel in his right leg from an exploding land mine — as 'minor.' Like so many other Ukrainians, he's lost friends and loved ones.
The bright lights and modern infrastructure of England 's iconic stadium will be a welcome change for the veterans.
Won 2012 Olympic gold
The 38-year-old Usyk, an Olympic gold medalist from the 2012 London Games, has embraced his unofficial ambassadorial role for his country.
'All of my fights are important for me and my team,' he said Thursday. 'Now, it's very important to my country and the soldiers who protect my country because it's motivation for my people.'
Earlier in the week, Usyk joined billionaire Richard Branson to unveil a mosaic in Trafalgar Square as part of an effort to raise funds for housing for Ukrainians.
'Russia destroyed hospitals, Russia destroyed schools, Russia destroyed lives — Ukrainian lives,' the undefeated Usyk told the gathering. 'But we will survive.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
29 minutes ago
- The Independent
England only had one key trait over Spain – but it led them to Euro 2025 glory
History repeated, once with force. Chloe Kelly again decided the European Championship for England, this time with a penalty that reflected all of the fight in this team. It was proper grit, proper character… yes, proper England, who remain European champions. Sarina Wiegman's side produced another miracle, as she claimed a third successive winners' medal in this competition. These are all historic feats in themselves, but they are elevated by the manner of it. It went to even deeper wells of resolve than Kelly winning it in extra-time at Wembley against Germany three years ago. And to manage that against this Spanish side, in this way, is the best reflection of this team's spirit. It shouldn't really have been possible given how they went behind. It shouldn't really have been possible given the visible fatigue as Spain kept the ball and kept England working. Except, the two-hour-plus football match was almost the most appropriate distillation of England's ultimately victorious tournament. Just like these Euros as a whole, Wiegman's side could have been beaten four times over in the match. They could have been beaten twice over in penalties. And yet they're still here, left alone on the podium to lift the trophy, above them only sky. That's because they just don't say die. The argument will persist that Spain are the best team in the world, and the best team in Europe. It doesn't matter. They still had to stay on watching England pick up their medals, substitute Michelle Agyemang going first to pick up the award for young player of the tournament. And, this time, in the actual game, it was the player she usually replaces that proved the difference. Alessia Russo got all the rewards for her hard work. She got the goal that eluded her for so long, a supreme soaring header with its very trajectory seemingly symbolising a change in the game. It, of course, came from another Kelly intervention, sent on for the injured Lauren James, to give something different. Something decisive. Spain, who had previously been imperious after Mariona Caldentey's fine headed goal of her own, started to stumble. The passing wasn't as crisp. There was a laxness. Even Aitana Bonmati began to make bad choices, which culminated in her fateful missed penalty. All of that is ultimately down to the spirit that has driven England through these Euros, instilled by Wiegman. They might have only led for four minutes of actual play in the knock-out stages, but they still did what mattered. No matter how many other arguments anyone might have about that or their performance, you can't fault their resolve. There is a unique defiance there that any team would envy. Wiegman went into detail about that on the eve of the final, talking about how crucial she sees that together. It wasn't just talk. They walked it, even if that meant hobbling through some tough moments. Lucy Bronze and George Stanway both symbolised that above anyone, having to go off injured in this final. And yet still the team persevered. Stanway had put in an admirable shift, especially given how Spain utterly exhaust you in midfield. Behind her, Keira Walsh was a ferocious presence. She tends to be targeted in such games. She stood her ground, as did that defence. That was perhaps the most admirable aspect of the performance, and the decisive factor in actually keeping level with Spain. Montse Tome's side just couldn't get beyond that Leah Williamson-led rearguard. England defended defiantly. There were so many moments when Spain looked to be in and around that six-yard box, only for one challenge, one crucial interception, to just put them off. Vicky Lopez curled about four shots over. Salma Paralluelo had two big chances, including one effort when she could have just swept the ball in rather than backheeling it from three yards out. There were so many what-ifs for Spain like that. But, on the rare occasions when they did get beyond, there was Hannah Hampton. She again proved the penalty hero alongside Kelly, further vindicating another Wiegman decision. Hampton was ultimately named player of the match. Spain might well say that a goalkeeper being awarded that displays their dominance and that they threw this game away. Finals, as Wiegman might tell them, however, aren't for playing. They're for winning. The Dutch coach has instilled England with that quality. They were outclassed by France and Sweden, outpassed by Spain, but they're here on a Swiss pitch after all of them. There, they'd given everything, the gripping tension of the occasion only further speaking to that spirit. They even recovered from the mishap of Beth Mead slipping to double-touch that first penalty, so it had to be retaken and saved. It could have played on another team's mind. It could have been another crucial turn. Instead, Patricia Guijarro was to be the first Spanish shoot-out scorer and the last. Alex Greenwood and Niamh Charles scored, their names necessary to record for the historical posterity if it all. Hampton saved, even from Aitana. England kept fighting this month. They kept going. And now they can keep calling themselves the European champions.
The Sun
30 minutes ago
- The Sun
More protests held outside migrant hotels across UK as anger over crisis continues to rise
MORE protests have been held outside migrant hotels across the country yesterday as anger over the issue continues to rise. Another demonstration was held nearby to the Brittania International Hotel in Canary Wharf, East London — which had been revealed earlier this week to be set to house asylum-seekers. 4 4 4 The large group of various ethnicities held a banner saying: 'Stop calling us far right. "Protect our women and children.' Meanwhile, rival groups clashed outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. Around 300 anti-migrant protesters had been kept in one fenced-off pen while around 500 in the pro-migrant group were in another, with cops between them. Around 500 officers from 31 forces across England and Wales attended — with three arrests reported by Essex Police, including a woman on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. It was the latest incident in Epping since Ethiopian asylum-seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was accused of sexual assault. He has denied three charges. Elsewhere, around 250 protested near the Brook Hotel in Norwich, while more than 200 stood outside a migrant hotel in Altrincham, Gtr Manchester. Other gatherings over the weekend have been reported in Portsmouth, Bournemouth and Leeds. Migrant hotel protests spread across the country with more planned today as cops clamp down on weekend of stand-offs 4 Four in 10 sex attack charges non-Brits Exclusive by Jack Elsom NEARLY four in ten people charged over sex attacks in London in the last seven years are foreign nationals, police figures show. Non-Brits are thought to be behind 2,809 out of 7,798 such crimes — 36 per cent — but make up less than a quarter of the city's population. A further 358 charged are of unknown nationality, meaning the foreigner total may be higher. Brits accounted for 4,631 charges. The largest cohort of foreign suspects were Romanian at 308, but Afghans are the most prolific by share of population at 89. The Centre for Migration Control obtained figures on nationalities of those charged with sex offences since 2018. It said: 'The spike in sexual offences against women and girls is directly attributable to our open borders.' The Home Office said: 'We continue to deport foreign nationals who commit heinous crimes in the UK.' Fury over Sharia law job advert A JOB ad for a 'Sharia law administrator' on the Department for Work and Pensions website sparked fury. Islamic Sharia law is followed by many Muslims around the world — though it is not accepted in the UK. The Manchester Sharia Council job pays £23,500 a year to help provide guidance on matrimonial matters under Sharia law. It requires a diploma or degree in Sharia law but only 'familiarity' with our legal system. Reform UK's Nigel Farage warned: 'Our country and its values are being destroyed'. Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'This is wrong. 'We only have one set of laws in the country. No other law should be recognised by the state.'
The Guardian
30 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘You dug deep': Starmer leads tributes to England women after Euros triumph
Keir Starmer led the tributes to the England women's national football team after they overcame Spain to win back-to-back European Championships. The Lionesses became the first England team – men's or women's – to win a major competition on foreign soil, with Chloe Kelly's penalty enough to give them a 3-1 penalty shootout win after the game finished 1-1 after extra time. The prime minister congratulated the team on 'digging deep' to retain their Euros crown. 'Champions! Congratulations Lionesses – what a team. What a game. What drama,' Starmer said in a post on X. 'You dug deep when it mattered most and you've made the nation proud. History makers.' King Charles sent his 'heartfelt congratulations' to the team and their manager, Sarina Wiegman, in a message posted on X. 'For more years than I care to remember, England fans have sung that famous chant 'football's coming home'. As you return home with the trophy you won at Wembley three years ago, it is a source of great pride that through sporting skill and awesome teamwork, the Lionesses have made those words ring true.' More figures from the sporting world and beyond sent their congratulations to the England women's team. Fara Williams, who holds the record for most caps for the England women's senior team with 172, posted a video of her celebrating in the stadium with the words: 'Yessssss back-to-back champions'. The former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said: 'Chloe Kelly is clutch. She's done it all the way through the tournament. She's come off the bench throughout the tournament and she's not mentioned it once. 'She's delivered every single time.' The deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, posted on X: 'You did it! What an incredible performance from our Lionesses! 'You've made history and the whole nation proud! Absolutely phenomenal. Thank you for inspiring millions and bringing it home!' Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion Speaking to the BBC immediately after the game, a tearful Kelly said: 'I'm so proud. So proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and I'm so proud to be English.' The England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who saved two penalties during the shootout and saw another go wide, said: 'This team's just unbelievable, incredible. We've shown throughout this tournament we can comeback when we go a goal down. We have that grit, we've got English blood in us, so we never say die.' Prince William was spotted in the stands applauding and celebrating with those around him – including his daughter, Princess Charlotte. As the presentation ceremony took place, the president of the FA was among those to congratulate England's star striker Michelle Agyemang on being named young player of the tournament. William exchanged words with Agyemang, appearing to say 'well played, fantastic, well done'. After the game, the X account of the Prince and Princess of Wales retweeted a post by the Lionesses' official page reading: 'It's home, again.'
