Paulo Fonseca's Haunting Memory of Kyiv on February 24th

Paulo Fonseca's Recollections of the War's Start in Ukraine

According to Главком: Paulo Fonseca, the head coach of French football club Lyon, has shared his memories of the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when he was in Kyiv. Fonseca, who served as head coach of Donetsk's Shakhtar from 2016 to 2019, recounted the tragic events. His personal connection to Ukraine is further deepened by his friend's wife, Kateryna Ostroushko, a Ukrainian who worked in the media team of Shakhtar's owner, Rinat Akhmetov.

Fonseca described waking at five in the morning to the sound of explosions and approaching the window to see smoke over the city.

'Our apartment in Kyiv is on the top floor. When I heard that sound, I woke up, went to the window and saw smoke. It was quite far away. But that image-approaching the window and seeing the city shrouded in smoke, that sound-they have not left my head.' Paulo Fonseca

He also noted that at the time, even within Shakhtar, people remained calm and did not believe the situation would unfold as it did. 'Even at Shakhtar, as I recall, people stayed calm. They didn't believe it would all happen exactly like this,' Fonseca added. This widespread disbelief among many in Ukraine at the conflict's outset is a common thread in early testimonies.

International Solidarity

On the invasion's anniversary, the German football club Hamburg issued a statement in support of Ukraine, highlighting the international solidarity during the country's difficult time. Such gestures from the global football community underscore a shared stance against the aggression.

Paulo Fonseca's memories of the war's beginning highlight not only the coach's personal trauma but also the broader atmosphere of disbelief regarding the severity of the threat among many Ukrainians at the conflict's start. These accounts are crucial for understanding the context of the events that led to a major humanitarian crisis. Simultaneously, support from the international community, including football clubs, demonstrates solidarity with the Ukrainian people during this challenging period, helping to maintain global awareness and bolster morale.