During his busy visit, Shevchenko met with representatives and members of the Kharkiv Oblast Football Association and its Executive Committee, as well as with Oleg Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration.

Photo by Andriy Yushchak

Shevchenko also attended a mine safety training session organized with the support of the U.S. Department of State and the international organization Spirit of Soccer. All 35 children participating in the training received balls and photos as souvenirs from their meeting with the Ukrainian football legend.

Photo by Andriy Yushchak

Additionally, the UAF President met with two 15-year-old boys, Ivan and Arthur, who were injured in a Russian shelling of Kharkiv’s Saltivka district on May 8.

"Despite their injuries, they have not lost their spirit, which deeply impressed me. The people of Kharkiv are an indomitable force! The Ukrainian Association of Football will assist the boys with rehabilitation and prosthetics so they can attend the matches of the national team of Ukraine," said Andriy Shevchenko.