You won't believe it: the sports season is open in the LPR
Natalia Maksimets, journalist, deputy of the Lugansk City Council
Photo by Nikolay Sidorov
The last time I left Lugansk was at the end of June - my husband and I visited my parents and congratulated my father on his 65th birthday. We returned and lived throughout July in a vague expectation of trouble and still in the undying hope that the Ukrainian side would not dare to destroy our city.
In vain. At the end of July, the anger and hatred of nationalists erupted towards us, who dared to have our own opinion, who were proud of our language, culture, traditions, heroes, towards us - who chose our destiny without the arrogant condescension of Kyiv and overseas masters. Hundreds of shells and mines covered the peaceful city. As if on purpose, they targeted communications, cultural and everyday objects, hospitals, schools, museums. The handsome “Avangard”, the largest modern sports ground in the Lugansk region, also got it. Two direct hits destroyed part of the stands and burned the football field. We have to restore this, and we will cope with the task.
And yet, the will to live reached this deserted corner of the regional center. Over the weekend, a friendly football match took place between the team of veterans of the legendary “Zarya” and the media team.
We played on an artificial training field. True, before the game we had to hold a cleanup: as a result, we collected 16 (!!!) kilograms of fragments from mines and shells.
The media team, by the way, turned out to be international: it included journalists and cameramen from the Life News film crew and the world-famous Briton Graham Philips.
The football legends, despite their gray hair and age, showed high class, which is why the score turned out to be devastating - 14:7. However, the writing and filming brethren held the defense with dignity and even went on the offensive. Thus, the “legionnaire”, the envoy of the homeland of football, Graham scored as many as 5 goals.
It was noisy in the stands too. Acting Lugansk mayor Manolis Pilavov and Deputy Prime Minister of the LPR Vasily Nikitin distinguished themselves with particular passion.
Thus, the sports season opened in the Republic. And ahead is the city's birthday. On this day, Luhansk residents traditionally compete in various sports. The current celebrations will be no exception.
In the pictures: intense moments of the game, the media team in blue uniforms
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