It is Thursday evening and in a training room in Nacka, about twenty young people aged 10-14 have gathered to practice karate. At the far end of the hall are the brothers Max, 14, and Kirill, 10, Savchenko, who came to Sweden from Ukraine less than a month ago.
Barely a week after Russia began the invasion of Ukraine, their mother Veronika Savchenko made a decision. She and her sons left Odessa and went to western Ukraine.
– With each passing day, it only got worse and worse in Odessa. There was a fear in the air, but my husband and I did our best to keep the boys distracted, says Veronika Savchenko.
– Kirill, Veronika and Max Savchenko decided to aim for Sweden when the plan was actually for them to go to western Ukraine.
Photo: Elin Åberg
The plan was to get to the western parts of the country, where the sons’ grandparents live, but on the way they were faced with a choice.
– At the station there were two trains. One that went against my in-laws and another that went to Poland, says Veronika Savchenko.
They chose to get on the train to Poland and took aim at Sweden and Knivsta outside Uppsala, to Veronika Savchenko’s sister.
Four days after starting the journey from Odessa, they arrived in Sweden.
– But my husband is still in Odessa. I have asked him to stay as long as possible to take care of my parents who live nearby.
– Max Savtjenko.
Photo: Elin Åberg
On the trip, Veronika Savchenko saw a Facebook post from the Ukrainian karate practitioner Stanislav Horuna, who among other things took bronze in the Tokyo Olympics this summer. There he had listed people in different countries that you could contact if you wanted a place to practice karate.
Then both boys trained karate for large parts of her life, mother Veronika contacted the Swedish contact person, Madeleine Haag.
She could tell about the karate club United in Nacka, which is run by her son Jimmy Haag. The day after the first contact, the boys did their first training in Sweden.
– We have been treated incredibly here. When we came here we had no equipment, but the club helped us and now the boys have what they need to be able to train. I could never have imagined that we would get such help from complete strangers, says Veronika Savchenko.
– Kirill Savtjenko.
Photo: Elin Åberg
She is silent for a while before she laughs.
– When we were on our way out the door and were about to leave Odessa, Kirill came in his karate suit, but I told him to leave it at home. Then we still thought we would stay in the country and I thought my husband could post it, she says.
Twice a week they make the trip from Knivsta to the premises in Nacka to train for an hour.
– It’s fun to come here. Karate is and has been a big part of my life for a long time now, so I am grateful that I can continue here in Sweden, says big brother Max Savchenko and continues:
– “It’s fun to have them here, both because it’s noticeable that they like it but also because they’re good,” says coach Jimmy Haag.
Photo: Elin Åberg
– It has been a bit difficult to make new friends because we do not speak Swedish. But I can speak English, so it is still possible to communicate perfectly well with the others.
During training, it is full speed. And that is perhaps not so strange considering that it is the last training before little brother Kirill Savchenko and several of the others in the group will compete for the first time.
– It’s going to be fun, I’m really tagged, he says.
Big brother Max, on the other hand, will be in charge of the competition.
– He does not like the idea of beating people, says Veronika Savchenko.
– But I will follow and cheer, says Max Savchenko.
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