Ex-NBA player Medvedenko in the Ukraine war: "You never get used to the dead"

Created: 07/28/2022, 11:56 am

By: Nico-Marius Schmitz

Impressions from Ukraine by Slava Medvedenko.

© Photo: Private

Slava Medvenko won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

When the war started, the Ukrainian defended his neighborhood with neighbors.

Now he's auctioning off his NBA championship rings to rebuild destroyed gyms.

The merkur interview:

Slava Medvedenko played in the NBA for years, winning the championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and 2002 alongside Kobe Bryant.

After an active career as an athlete, the Ukrainian switched to politics and was a candidate in the 2020 elections for the Kiev city council.

When the war started, the 43-year-old joined forces with neighbors to defend his neighborhood.

Medvedenko is currently collecting money for Ukraine with charity campaigns and would like to rebuild destroyed gyms.

To mark the occasion, the ex-basketball player is currently auctioning off his NBA championship rings.

In an interview with our newspaper, Medvedenko talks about the beginnings of the war, days in the air raid shelter and a future for Ukrainian children.

Slava Medvedenko, how did you experience the beginning of the war?

I was in Kyiv with my family.

Like most Ukrainians, I woke up at 4 a.m. to explosions.

I saw through the window how more and more cars were leaving the underground car park of my apartment.

I expected the war, understood that the war is inevitable, that it has actually been going on for eight years.

But for the first few minutes after the explosions, all I remember is the feeling of confusion.

When you're 42 years old but just don't know what to do next.

And in the evening I discussed with the neighbors how we can defend our neighbourhood

Slava Medvedenko

What have you done?

We packed only the essentials and ran to a nearby air raid shelter.

We bought food for the next ten days while the shops were still open.

I brought my mother to us.

And in the evening I discussed with the neighbors how we can defend our neighborhood and what we do if we discover saboteurs.

The first few days were very chaotic.

We spent a lot of time in the bunker.

Tries to let us know about Telegram groups and our friends.

But no one could really understand what was happening.

You have joined a self-defense group.

There was no other choice.

Circumstances forced you to take this step.

In the first few days, the Russian army quickly approached the borders of Kyiv.

Our city was deserted.

80 percent of my neighbors fled immediately.

The police no longer had the capacity to maintain law and order.

That was the hardest time.

I remember Western experts saying that Kyiv will fall in three days at most.

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How did it go for you?

We received arms from the military administration and then organized ourselves.

I got an AK-47.

Sometimes we patrolled the streets.

My post was on the roof of a skyscraper.

Rockets flew over us.

We watched the streets of Kiev in an easterly direction.

We studied military tactics and dealt with medicine and the care of the wounded.

To be able to fight with the regular army in the worst case scenario.

When the Russians withdrew from Kiev's suburbs, I devoted myself to humanistic things.

We brought food and useful items to ruined cities.

I wanted to help where I can be most useful.

You are currently launching humanitarian actions around the world.

I recently flew to the US to discuss auctioning my NBA rings with SCP Auctions.

I am currently in Warsaw.

to attend a benefit basketball game.

We want to collect donations and draw attention to the war around the world.

We are very grateful for the support from our allies and the people of Europe.

Slava Medvedenko's NBA championship ring.

© Photo: Private

How did you come up with the idea of ​​auctioning off your master rings?

The Ukrainians donate a lot of money for the war, they give their last shirts.

Children sell their toys to raise money for the army.

We cannot just wait for weapons to be delivered to us.

We have to take action ourselves.

As the war grew worse, I realized that unless we are able to get our children back and provide them with a safe environment, our victory will be worth nothing.

I sent my kids to live with my grandmother in a relatively safe part of Ukraine, didn't see her for months.

I founded the Fly High Foundation with friends.

We want to help children who are particularly badly affected by the war.

And rebuild destroyed gyms.

What have you already achieved?

We have already rehabilitated 130 children in Nebokray Camp.

We want to take in at least 500 children, but there are currently no financial resources.

More than 1000 schools have already been damaged, more than 100 of them completely destroyed.

Over two million children have been forced to flee Ukraine.

60 percent of Ukrainian children are forced to leave their homes.

We hope for donations and equipment: footballs, basketballs, jerseys.

*Through the crowdfunding project, donations can be made to children in Ukraine.

The money will be used to rebuild destroyed gyms in Ukraine.

Was there contact with the Los Angeles Lakers?

The Lakers have sent gym clothes to over 500 children.

The team plans further financial help.

FIBA has also offered support and a special program.

Many former companions from the NBA have reached out to help me.

The sports world stands together.

War has been raging in Ukraine for five months.

How is your life currently?

I stay in Ukraine all the time when I'm not away for a few days for humanitarian purposes.

We don't leave our country.

My children live here, my eldest daughter came back to Kyiv from the USA.

So I experience the terrible everyday life in a country that is under attack.

Eventually you get used to the daily alarms, explosions.

But you never get used to the dead.

People try to get on with their lives.

All with the only dream that there will be a quick victory for Ukraine.

We understand we don't have the right to lose.

It's a war of civilization.

And if Ukraine loses, Ukraine will not be the only country to disappear.

Human rights then also disappear and are no longer worth anything.

We're losing our best people every day right now:

well-trained soldiers, children are dying, young people are leaving the country.

We have to fight on the front for every single human life.

For our children being able to return someday.

Interview: Nico Marius Schmitz