Olena Kryvytska is safe at the moment. Unlike many of her compatriots, the Ukrainian swordsman has not left the country. She stayed to support her family, and intends to stay in her homeland for as long as possible. Speaking to DW via video link, the 35-year-old called on Russian athletes to raise their voices and draw attention to the war.
DW: Olena, how are you and how is your family?
Olena Kryvytska: The situation is not easy. It is not only difficult for me and my family, but for everyone in Ukraine. But we try to stay calm. This is the best we can do. If we panic, we will not be able to make decisions. We must try to keep calm.
How was the last week for you, since Russia invaded Ukraine?
I had my birthday on February 23rd. The next morning, my husband woke me up at 6 in the morning. In 15 minutes, we packed up everything we needed and got in the car with our two dogs to drive to a safer place. The noise of the explosions was very loud. It was a very precarious situation. We left our home, our home, behind and we will probably never see it again.
More than 1 million people have already left the country. Will you leave Ukraine too?
I have friends abroad who send me messages every day and offer help. That way we could leave the country. But I want to stay here. My family is here, my parents are here. I will stay here as long as possible.
“Our soldiers are heroes”
What do you think about the Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion?
Our soldiers are heroes. They fight so bravely. They are just heroes. Like all other people trying to help each other survive in the occupied territories. In one night, we have all become one, and that is so important. We fight for each other as a big family.
Russian troops are doing terrible things. They cut people off in cities from food and water. Many people suffer and do not know what to eat or drink. It is not an army against an army, it is an army against civilians.
Many athletes are trying to draw attention to the situation in Ukraine …
Yes, many use their media or social media contacts to tell the world the truth about our situation. Maybe some Russians will see these messages and understand what this war is like. Our whole country has been destroyed. I can not imagine how many years it will take to rebuild everything.
What else does it take for people to understand that it is a war? Children die here, 6-year-olds and 10-year-olds are killed. Is he the enemy? When I watch videos like this, I just cry. I do not understand how human beings can do such things.
“Russian athletes must choose a side”
Do you have a message for your teammates from Russia?
They have to choose a side. Too many are silent and say nothing. This is not acceptable because they are involved. belong to Russia. If they have a lot of followers on Instagram, they should talk and say that they are on the side of peace and that their president is doing terrible things.
I understand that they may be afraid for their lives, but if they do nothing, then they are guilty of association.
What are you waiting for in the next few days?
This is a difficult question. I hope to wake up every day. And I hope to wake up without a war. But it is complicated. We are fighting for our lives, for an opportunity to have a good life in our country, as we did before the war. Sometimes I wake up at night because I hear the sirens. And everything could change in the blink of an eye.
So I can not answer the question. I just hope it all ends soon. And I hope to stay in our county. I do not want to go anywhere else. I want to live in Ukraine with my family.
Olena Kryvytska is a Ukrainian swordsman and has won three bronze medals at the World Championships: Moscow in 2015 (team), Leipzig in 2017 and Budapest in 2019 (individual). She lives in Ukraine with her husband and turned 35 the day before the Russian invasion.
The interview was pluspublished by Thomas Klein and translated from German by Matt Ford
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