Ukrainian footballer “Vengzhanka”, playing in one of the lower divisions of the championship of Poland, Nikolai Zhidkov died in the war against the Russian invaders, the club’s press service reports. The 22-year-old native of Kropyvnytsky in the fall of 2022 suspended his career and joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
After their decision to change their boots for a bulletproof vest, teammates from Wengzhce (a village near Krakow) staged a touching farewell, giving a bouquet of flowers.
The death of the hero at the front became known on June 2.
Nicky was a very nice, polite and sensual guy. There was no one who knew him and did not love him. When he entered the field, he fought to the last strength for the team victory. When it came to fighting for the freedom of his country, he gave everything that a person has at such a young age – he sacrificed his own life, “Wengzhanka’s obituary reads.
In one of his early interviews, the player admitted that he wanted to return to Ukraine immediately after the start of a full-scale invasion, but then his relatives refused him.
“Mom said that why should I return. In Poland, I will be better. My father said that if I dare to come, he will help me in everything,” Nikolai said at one time.
As GLOBAL HAPPENINGS reported, earlier Minister of Youth and Sports, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine Vadym Gutzeit said that since February 24, 2022, 300 Ukrainian athletes have already died, who changed their sports uniforms to pixel, took up arms and left to defend the Motherland from the invaders.
Source: Obozrevatel
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