Congratulations to the military on the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine!

06.12.2018 14:50

Photo of FFU press service

The Football Federation of Ukraine congratulates the defenders of our state on their professional holiday - the Day of the Armed Forces of Ukraine! The entire football community of our country is proud of you and thanks you for protecting independence and peace in Ukraine!

We wish all servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine good health, well-being and victory!

The Football Federation of Ukraine is a reliable partner of our heroes-defenders and joins all projects aimed at social support and assistance in the rehabilitation of soldiers. In 2018 alone, about 4300 servicemen and ATO veterans took part in events held under the auspices of the FFU. Also during the year, several new football projects were launched to support and assist in the rehabilitation of veterans and combatants in the Donbass. In particular, in 2018 the first draw of the Open Championship of ATO Heroes took place. In total, about 1350 servicemen and law enforcement officers, representing all types of troops and law enforcement agencies based in different regions of the country, took part in these competitions, which took place in five regional zones (East, West, North, South, Center). .

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

With the assistance of the Football Federation of Ukraine, the winners of the first Open Championship of ATO Heroes and their colleagues attended the match of the national team of Ukraine with the Czech Republic in the first draw of the UEFA League of Nations. In general, thousands of military and anti-terrorist operation veterans have been able to attend the matches of the national team of Ukraine for several years!

On May 9, this year, 850 servicemen serving in the OOS area and the Odessa garrison received FFU tickets to finals of the Cup of Ukraine, where Dynamo (Kyiv) and Shakhtar (Donetsk) met.

Coaches and players of the national teams of Ukraine were active in communication with the defenders of Ukraine during the year. In particular, about 40 wounded combatants undergoing treatment at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine received an invitation from the FFU for an open training session of the main team of the country and the presentation of new sets of national team uniforms. During the event, the soldiers could communicate and take photos in memory of football stars and receive memorable gifts.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

In addition, on October 14, on the eve of the match with the Czech national team, the head coach of the national team Andriy Shevchenko and the team players visited wounded heroes in the garrison hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in Kharkiv. The footballers congratulated the soldiers on the Day of the Defender of Ukraine, invited them to the national team match and wished them a speedy recovery. A few days earlier, on October 11, wounded heroes visited in the Central Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine coaches and players of the youth team. And such visits of national football players, coaches, football veterans, FFU President Andriy Pavelko and other leaders of the federation to the wounded military have long been a good tradition.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

A new and extremely important for the ATO participants was a joint project of the Presidential Commissioner for Rehabilitation of ATO Participants Vadym Svyridenko, the Ministry of Defense and the Football Federation of Ukraine - Neskorenykh Cup, which was launched in May this year. In the first draw of the tournament, which took place on the fields of NTK. V. Bannikov, eight teams took part - a total of 160 players. Also within the framework of the project there was a match in which veterans of anti-terrorist operation - players of the national team among amputees took part.

Also this year, about 180 defenders of Ukraine from six units of the assault force participated in competitions in honor of the paratroopers killed in the war zone. Tournament matches happened On July 19-20 in Kramatorsk, which was released and defended from the aggressor in April-July 2014 by paratroopers. Players of the national team of Ukraine among veterans took part in the opening match of the tournament.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Earlier, the FFU handed over new apartments to more than 20 families of anti-terrorist operation soldiers and provided support in purchasing the necessary rehabilitation equipment for wounded soldiers. Also, the children of the defenders of Ukraine are regular participants in various events held under the auspices of the federation. These include the Open Football Lessons, UEFA Mass Football Week, the FFU Football Vacation, and the tournaments organized by the Federation for Children and Youth.