Image via REUTERS
Rinat Akhmetov, the president of Shakhtar Donetsk, has pledged to donate $22 million to the Ukrainian war effort in response to Mykhailo Mudryk’s transfer to Chelsea.
A transfer record for Ukrainian football, the Premier League team acquired Mudryk from Shakhtar on Sunday in a deal for up to £89 million.
The funds, according to Akhmetov, would support the “helping Mariupol defenders and the families of fallen soldiers” project known as “Heart of Azovstal.”
In 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine.
“I want to thank the entire civilised world for helping Ukraine,” said Akhmetov.
“Today we are able to talk about Ukrainian football thanks to the Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian people, and the tremendous support of the entire civilised world.”
Akhmetov said he had “mixed feelings” about Mudryk, 22, leaving Shakhtar for Chelsea.
“I have never made it a secret that my dream is to win European trophies,” he said.
“This means that players like Mudryk should be invited to our club, to our Ukrainian championship, and we should win European trophies with such players.
“Unfortunately, it is impossible now, as Ukraine is fighting the horrendous and unjust war waged against us by the Russian Federation.”