Former NHL hockey star Dmitry Khristich cannot understand why the rest of the world is not helping the Ukrainians in the midst of Russia’s fierce hostilities.
My Ukrainian hockey icon Dmitri Khristich calls on the West to help find peace in their country. He played more than 810 NHL regular season matches between 1990 and 2002, accumulating 596 power points in them.
The 52-year-old ex-hockey star is currently in Poltava, with a population of 300,000, which Russian forces have not yet tried to capture. The city of central Ukraine is located about 320 kilometers from Kiev.
A former hockey professional and his Oleksandra-wife who acts as a first aid worker will do her best to help others as well. However, it is frustration that comes from the Ukrainians, because the citizens of a country in need do not understand why they are not being helped.
– We are watching the news and we do not understand why the West is just sitting and watching the Russians destroy Ukraine. This is so amazing, Khristich wonders the editor of The Athletic To Dan Robson.
Western countries have shown support for economic sanctions against Russia, but Khristich believes they are inadequate.
– We need help, so real help. Now you let us kill you. We are not just sitting here and watching the horrors of us. And it is not just us (the Ukrainians) in the end, because other countries are not safe either. I think that’s perhaps the most important thing, says the 12-season NHL player.
“We live every day not knowing what happens next”
Khristich says he has never seen Ukraine so united.
– Different people help each other here, whatever they can. But we also need people who can think sensibly and stop Russia. They brought the war with them. According to the Russians, the bombings are not aimed at civilians, but it is still seen every day and everywhere. It’s terrible, Khristich darkens.
It has been almost two weeks since the Russians first attacked Ukraine. According to the UN, the war has caused at least 406 civilian deaths. Among the more than 1.5 million fleeing Ukrainians is Khristich’s 15-year-old Ilya’s sonwho had to seek refuge in Poland.
Dmitry Khristich had previously traveled across the country and back to transport his son to safety. On the way, he encountered several civilian-run checkpoints that were confusing situations. At present, no Ukrainian man between the ages of 18 and 60 can leave the country under the martial law.
– We live every day not knowing what happens next.
Although there have been no Russian troops near the city of Khristich so far, he has had to go to safety underground bomb shelters numerous times.
– I grew up in the Soviet Union myself, and our knowledge was very “limited” at the time. We were told that we are the best country and the rest of the world wants to hurt us. That was the mentality I grew up with. Then in the 80s things got loose and we started to see what was really going on outside the country. Many wanted to go away then.
– At the moment I am afraid we have returned to where we once were. There is so much misinformation in Russia, people really don’t know what’s going on right now. They (Russian citizens) should be given the fact that there is a war going on here. And a very terrible one, adds Khristich.