"Artem Rakitin sits everyone down on the rubber mat for one last pep talk. He has known most of the young men for several years, working with them here twice a week and in effect acting as a mentor. It is a kind of physical and mental training, he explains: self-discipline; resisting vices; preparing oneself, if the moment comes, to defend his country. One of the main targets is for them not to become alcoholics, drug addicts or anything like that, he says. It's to put their energy in the right places, and to support the right team."
"That team is FC Chernihiv and, on Wednesday evening, they will face Dynamo Kyiv in a Ukrainian cup final nobody could have predicted when the season began. FC Chernihiv are battling relegation from the second tier but, to delirious scenes, won their semi-final against Metalist 1925 Kharkiv on penalties despite being reduced to 10 men in the fifth minute. They are one more upset from an improbable Europa League spot; it is a remarkable moment for a city, tucked in Ukraine's north towards the Russian and Belarusian borders, that has suffered devastating losses since February 2022."
"Rakitin knows the significance as well as anyone. During Russia's siege of Chernihiv, which lasted for more than a month in the early stages of the full-scale invasion, he led the evacuation of about 25,000 women and children from the city. I trained here, I studied here, everything is here, he says. I love my city very much. It earned him national renown and, as a special forces officer with the call sign Rocket', he later played vital roles in the high-profile liberations of Snake Island and the Boyko Towers gas platforms from Russian control."
A minivan brings youths to a gym in central Chernihiv for training led by Artem Rakitin, who has mentored many of them for years. The sessions combine physical and mental preparation, emphasizing self-discipline, resisting alcohol and drugs, and directing energy toward constructive goals and the right team. FC Chernihiv, facing relegation, reached a Ukrainian cup final against Dynamo Kyiv after an unexpected semi-final win on penalties despite being reduced to 10 men early. The city has endured devastating losses since February 2022, including a siege that lasted more than a month. Rakitin previously led the evacuation of about 25,000 women and children and later served in special forces operations, gaining national renown.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]