This was reported by Head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Head of the Regional Military Administration Vadym Filashkin.
The project is being implemented with the support of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in cooperation with regional military administrations and the Ukrainian Football Association. Its main goal is to help children living through the realities of war recover physically and emotionally through sports, active recreation, communication, and new experiences.
The first group includes 100 children aged 9 to 12. These are children of military personnel, police officers, rescuers, and other representatives of Ukraine’s Security and Defense Forces, as well as children who have endured the hardships of war.
During the opening ceremony, the children were greeted by fellow natives of Donetsk region who played football at the highest level — Oleksii Polyanskyi, Serhii Yashchenko, and Mykola Pushkaruk. And this is only their first introduction to the living history of Ukrainian football.
Ahead of them are football training sessions, master classes with professional coaches, excursions, cultural events, and, most importantly, 14 days in a safe environment, surrounded by friends and enjoying a normal childhood atmosphere. These are the days that help children rediscover joy, team spirit, and confidence in themselves.
“I am grateful to the President of Ukraine for his attention to the children of Donetsk region, and to the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration and the Ukrainian Football Association for their partnership, organization, and care.
We are working for the sake of our children,” Vadym Filashkin emphasized.