Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk has spoken about his journey from war-torn Ukraine to the Premier League, praising the club's support for Ukrainian refugees and expressing confidence in manager Keith Andrews' ambitious goals.
Escape from war-torn Ukraine
Yarmoliuk, now 22, left his family in Ukraine as a teenager to pursue his dream of playing in the Premier League. Raised near Dnipro in the village of Verkhnodniprovsk, which has a population of around 15,000, he is a symbol of hope in a place where everyone knows your name.
He was able to visit his family in Ukraine this summer and says it is "a great blessing" that he can still return to his hometown four-and-a-half years after Russia's full-scale invasion began.
"We all see the news and know what is happening in Ukraine. Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Sumy and many other cities are still being attacked and destroyed," Yarmoliuk told Standard Sport. "This terrible war continues to take the lives of innocent people. Today, if you have a chance to visit your hometown in Ukraine, it is already a great blessing because many people have lost that opportunity because of the war."
Brentford's support for Ukrainian refugees
Under the post-2022 Homes for Ukraine scheme, Brentford and the surrounding boroughs of Hounslow and Ealing have provided extensive integration, housing, employment, and wellbeing support for Ukrainian refugees. Ealing has the second-largest Ukrainian refugee community in London, with over 1,400 arrivals.
Yarmoliuk has worked with Brentford to provide support for Ukrainians in the local area. "I am very grateful to the club because they do a lot to help Ukrainian people and refugees. There are also Ukrainians working at the club now after moving here because of the war," he said.
Rise under Keith Andrews
Despite the conflict, Yarmoliuk has progressed from Brentford's B team to become a Premier League regular, closing in on 100 appearances in England's top flight. He signed a new long-term contract in May last year and played an integral role as Brentford narrowly missed out on European qualification last season.
Andrews' appointment as manager was met with surprise from outside the club, but Yarmoliuk insists there were never any doubts. "His appointment was not a surprise for us. He was a part of Thomas Frank's coaching staff, and we communicated a lot," Yarmoliuk said. "He always gave me advice, explained what I could do better in different situations on the pitch, and what I needed to improve. He believed in me and supported me even when Thomas Frank was our head coach."
Ambition for European football
Yarmoliuk arrived in England at 18 with his girlfriend Val, and the first six months were difficult as neither could speak English and they lacked a support network. He has since learned English and speaks with confidence.
He occasionally meets with fellow Ukrainian internationals Mykhailo Mudryk and Vitalii Mykolenko, sharing experiences as footballers and proud Ukrainians. Yarmoliuk is focused on the season ahead and is quietly confident of delivering European football for the first time in the club's history.
"We always set ambitious goals for ourselves. In the Premier League, it has to be like that. We all want to qualify for European competitions, but the most important thing is to stay focused on every match and keep improving game by game," he said. "I really want to see Brentford playing in European competitions."
