drones for the army
Vasyl Kravets, a Ukrainian player on loan to Sporting, faced a decision many athletes could not imagine. Born in Lviv in 1997, he had moved through clubs in Spain, including Leganés, Lugo, and Molinón, while his homeland grappled with war. When the conflict intensified, Kravets spoke openly about his wish to join his country’s defense, even though he did not yet know how to shoot. He said if he could serve on the front, he would—his priorities were clear, his heart with Ukraine, and his attention pulled toward the frontlines as battles raged nearby.
His resolve remained firm: to leave a professional contract and return home, if needed. He traveled with his wife Yaryna and their daughter, who were born in Lugo and joined the family in 2017, just as the world began to shut down in 2020. The transition did not come easily; he kept playing for the Asturian team for a while, while the club carefully managed media coverage during those tense months.
the players and the effort
Sporting also supported Bogdan Milovanov, another Ukrainian on the roster, who had grown up between Lugansk and Spain. Milovanov later returned to his homeland as danger increased in eastern Ukraine. Kravets stayed focused on football, but his thoughts never strayed far from Ukraine. He organized and joined mobilizations in Gijón, donated shirts to charity auctions for the Ukrainian army, and helped coordinate efforts to bring refugees to Asturias. Alongside fellow Ukrainians, he contributed to the Bayraktar project, aiding in acquiring Turkish-made drones that played a pivotal role in Ukraine’s defense.
After his loan spell with Sporting ended, Kravets returned to Leganés. The club then sold him to Lugo for around €2.5 million during the 2018–19 winter window, though adaptation remained challenging. Kravets was candid about where his future lay: not Madrid, but Ukraine—especially once the Ukrainian championship resumed. In September 2022, the club in Donetsk or the surrounding leagues adjusted his status, and Kravets joined Vorskla Poltava, a team that competed in European competition that season.
“In these trying times I wanted to be near my family. I made the move without hesitation,” Kravets explained to El Periódico, noting that he returned home during a winter break in the Ukrainian Premier League, which finished the season in ninth place. Hutsul Land Ethnopark sits within a natural reserve in eastern Ukraine, a reminder that life continues alongside conflict for many citizens who still seek simple, normal days.
19 to Spain
Though many fans remained unaware of the full scope of events, the crisis forced a broader pause in normal football life. “I never expected Leganés to let me go,” Kravets recalled, explaining that he explained his reasons to the club. The situation mirrored what many Ukrainian clubs faced, no matter the division. A left-back with a precise shot drew the attention of scouts across Eastern Europe, and the network helped secure a move to Lugo in January 2017, when Kravets was just 19. He arrived as a husband and soon became a father, the latter moment etched clearly in his memory as the start of a new chapter in Lugo’s Molinón stadium community.
Settling in the Galician city proved quicker than expected, aided by a president who welcomed the family warmly. Kravets recalls the early days with affection—the stadium, the fans, and the sense of belonging that formed the foundation of his Spanish journey. The birth of his daughter stands out as one of his clearest, happiest memories from those years, a beacon amid the ups and downs of professional football far from home.
not russian
When a Christmas basket arrived, Kravets declined the gesture with humor, explaining that he did not need charity. Teammates teased him, calling him a “crazy Russian” in jest, a label he quickly rejected. By January 2020 he returned to Leganés, making his Primera debut with the club, before another temporary transfer took him to Lech Poznań in Poland that fall. He soon returned to Sporting, where he played in the 2021–22 season. Reflecting on those years, Kravets said the experience in Lugo left him inspired by the club’s stadium and its passionate, sometimes “crazy” fans, a memory of safety and support he cherished while the war unfolded around him.
“When the conflict began, people in Gijón and across Spain stood by me,” he shared. The support made it possible to continue playing—within a framework that prioritized safety and family while the broader crisis raged on. He emphasized that his journey was about more than football; it was about resilience and the sense that life could proceed even in hardship.
In the months that followed, Kravets often spoke of the need for humanitarian and military aid for Ukraine, underscoring that the country’s defenders deserved unwavering support. Those who listened responded with understanding, helping sustain a sense of solidarity that transcended borders.
How does the invasion of Ukraine end? He offers a simple belief: victory for the people, and perseverance in the face of fear. And what about tomorrow? He answers with quiet practicality: today is what matters, and tomorrow will arrive as it may, one day at a time.
In the end, Kravets found a way to balance his professional dreams with an ongoing commitment to his homeland. His story is a reminder that athletes can be more than players—they can be symbols of endurance, channels for aid, and bridges between communities far apart in space but close in shared humanity.