THE Bradford Ukrainian Club will be sending two coaches to watch a Premier League team take on Ukraine's biggest club side in a special fundraising friendly this Friday.
Everton's hosting of Dynamo Kyiv at Goodison Park will directly support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, following the Russian invasion earlier this year.
Kyiv have previously participated in games across Europe, as part of their ‘Match For Peace’ initiative. However, this will be the first such occasion on British soil.
"We have been waiting for this for a while," said Ewhen Chymera, director of Bradford Ukrainian Club.
"Given there are a few Ukrainian representatives in the Premier League, Oleksandr Zinchenko (now of Arsenal) and Vitaliy Mykolenko (Everton), it is great to see what has been rumoured for a long time has come to fruition.
"When I announced it to our refugees, they were all amazed and really wanted to go."
Ewhen added: "Unfortunately the war is continuing. It is costing people their lives and homes.
"It is great for one of our clubs to really want to support the causes in Ukraine.
"Hopefully, a lot of money will be raised to make a difference medically and psychologically for the people of Ukraine."
Latest numbers show more than 250 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Bradford, 1,100 in the entirety of West Yorkshire, since the conflict began.
However, Ewhen is unsure what will happen once the sponsorship scheme finishes.
He said: "There is a lot happening for them, the public support has been amazing.
"There are real positives but we can not kid ourselves, there are some real challenges ahead in terms of integration.
"Some people are coming up to four-five months of their stay here. Will the sponsorship scheme be extended beyond six months?"
On Sunday, hundreds of Ukrainians gathered in Leeds city centre to remember all those who have sadly lost their lives in the conflict which is now 150 days old.
With the war sadly still raging on, Ewhen painted a picture of what the situation is currently like out there.
"The Russians are just bombarding places," he said.
"I have spoken to so many refugees. They have lost their towns, it is just a place of ruin.
"The tide has not turned and there are huge areas of Ukraine that are occupied. Without them, Ukraine can not exist as a nation.
"Ukrainians still want to do the job. They just need western military support and ammunition."
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