Andriy Shevchenko and Oleksandr Zinchenko will join several notable stars to play in the Game4Ukraine charity match.
The charity football match will be held at Stamford Bridge to support war-torn Ukraine and it will take place on August 5.
The event is scheduled to take place at Chelsea’s home ground after the club was sold by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich due to Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who plays for Arsenal, both hailing from Ukraine, are expected to be named as captains for their respective teams.
The Football for Ukraine initiative was established by the Arsenal defender, Oleksandr Zinchenko and his business partner Artemy Ryabov.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Zinchenko has been a vocal supporter of the Ukrainian war effort.
The charity is aim to assist Ukrainian refugees who have been displaced by the war and rebuild essential facilities that have been affected.
And to achieve this goal, they plan to host several events that will raise funds and increase awareness.
According to reports, Ukrainian footballers including Zinchenko, Shevchenko, Mudryk, Mykolenko, and Zabarnyi would be participating in the event.
Zinchenko announced his participation in the event on his Instagram page on Tuesday, May 30, while narrating the objective of the match.
He said the aim is to donate funds to rebuild the Mykhailo-Kotsyubinsky school that was invaded by Russian troops in March 2022.
He explained further, urging people to watch the match and support the project by donating £6 or more to win shirts and autographs of every star player that will feature in the match.
The Game4Ukraine
Game4Ukraine is a fundraising initiative that aims to support the United24 charity, which was founded by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
While the Football for Ukraine initiative was established by the Arsenal defender Zinchenko and his business partner.
The project received significant backing from Andriy Shevchenko, a former player for Chelsea and AC Milan.
They have undertaken several projects, including raising funds for Kyiv Volunteer, a non-profit organization located in the capital of Ukraine, as well as for the volunteer group Help in Mukachevo.
Their cause has garnered support from prominent entities such as Chelsea, the Arsenal Foundation, Puma, Nike, and Common Goal.
In an interview with Sportsmail, Zinchenko emphasized that he is doing his utmost to assist his nation, which has been ravaged by war.
He shared a message of encouragement for those who were forced to flee due to the invasion, saying: “Stay strong, we will win. Everything will be fine in the future. Certainly. I understand the spirit of all Ukrainians.”
According to The Sun report, Game4Ukraine is expected to be the largest charity event of the year, featuring a massive half-time show in addition to the match.
And Lester Holcombe, who raised £900,000 for victims of the London tower block fire through his Game4Grenfell event in 2017, is the organizer of the upcoming event.
Latest on Russia-Ukraine war
As the war enters its 462nd day, the leader of Ukraine’s military intelligence has issued a warning of a prompt retaliation in response to a sequence of missile attacks by Russia on Kyiv.
According to Gen Kyrylo Budanov, the attacks that took place on Monday, May 29 did not succeed in intimidating the people residing in the capital city.
Instead, the people continued with their daily lives without any fear.
According to official reports, all of the missiles were successfully intercepted and there have been no reports of any casualties.
However, flaming debris from the intercepted missiles, unfortunately, landed in residential areas located in central Kyiv.
Meanwhile, Russia accused Ukraine as several buildings in Moscow were hit by drones, leading to the evacuation of some residents from their homes.
This occurred after Russia carried out its third attack on Kyiv within a span of 24 hours.
According to Russian officials, a fire broke out at an oil refinery in southern Russia due to a drone from Ukraine.
Additionally, shelling occurred for the third time in a week in a Russian town near the border, causing damage to buildings and vehicles.
The governor of Russia’s Krasnodar region has stated that a drone is the probable cause of the fire that occurred at the Afipsky oil refinery.
This comes a day after Russia accused Ukraine of using drones to attack buildings in Moscow.
See the causes of the Russia-Ukraine war
What’s your take on the Game4Ukraine and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war?
