Ukrainian referee Denis Shurman spoke to the official website of the UAF about how he ended up in Germany during the war and managed to continue his career far from his homeland.

— When hostilities began, my family and I had to leave Vishneve, where we lived, for Zhytomyr region, — Shurman said. — But it soon became dangerous there as well. My son has a condition that requires constant monitoring. Some medications have to be ordered abroad. Given the disruptions with drugs, my wife and I decided to take our child to Europe.

Initially, we went to relatives in Poland, but then friends suggested that it was possible to find accommodation in Hamburg. That's what we did. Upon arrival, we first registered ourselves, completed all necessary documents, including medical insurance. Only after this could we see a doctor and obtain the required medications. Once we solved our initial task, we had to think about how to live further and earn a living. And here I would like to thank the UAF leadership, the referees committee, and Luciano Luca in particular for helping me prepare a letter of appeal to the German Football Association. Within a short time, the head of the Referees Committee of Germany called me already informed about my situation. At first, they invited me just to watch a match so that I could get acquainted with local realities, and on April 1st, I officiated one of the matches in the fifth German division and have since been assigned to games in the fourth league. Also, I received an invitation to participate in a Bundesliga referees seminar.

By the way, there is a large Ukrainian community in Hamburg. Even Germans condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. People support refugees in various ways and constantly offer help. On social networks, we joined a group and now participate in various actions and rallies supporting our country. I really hope that the war will soon end, and those who started this bloodshed will be severely punished.