Ukraine International Carries Its National Team To German Football Match

The friendly match with Borussia Mönchengladbach was the first for the Ukrainian team this year and collected funds for those affected by the war.

When a country is plunged into war, everything is disrupted. Daily lives, air travel to, from, and above, along with participation in sports on the international arena. Meanwhile, amid a near-unthinkable crisis, community becomes more critical than ever. On May 10, Ukraine International Airlines flew 45 members of the Ukrainian national football team to Germany for a friendly fundraiser match with Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The flight took off from Ljubljana in Slovenia, where the Ukrainian team is currently training in Brdo, and landed in Düsseldorf. The match itself took place on Wednesday, May 11. It ended in a 1-2 triumph for the Ukrainians in front of a crowd of 20,223 at Borussia Park. The goals were scored by Mykhaylo Mudryk and Oleksandr Pikhalionok, both making their debut on the senior national team.

Next up – Glasgow for a shot at Qatar 2022

All funds collected through ticket sales for the game and merchandise will go to support Ukrainians affected by the war. Ukrainian citizens were welcomed to watch the match for free. Head coach of the team, Oleksandr Petrakov, said following the game as quoted by Football Reporting,

“Thank you to the Ukrainians who came and supported us. And thank you also to the people of Germany.”

It was the first game the Ukrainian national team had played since November. Next up is a semi-final playoff for a spot in the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This time, they will face Scotland on the team’s home turf at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Still operating humanitarian flights

UIA ceased all regularly scheduled commercial operations due to Russia’s invasion of the country on February 24 this year and the subsequent closure of Ukrainian airspace. However, the airline has made its aircraft available for charter and humanitarian flights.

When looking at the company’s social media, one is struck by the incredible abruptness of the events of late February, as mere ten days before the start of the war, UIA was running a Valentine’s Day promotion campaign, inviting customers to travel by March 20.

The UIA Boeing fleet

Ukraine International Airlines has a fleet of 28 Boeing and Embraer aircraft. The bulk of its narrowbody fleet consists of 12 Boeing 737-800s, averaging 14 years of age. UIA owns four of these outright, whereas the remaining eight are leased. It also owns half of its four ten-year-old 737-900s, and all of its 767-300s, with the latter getting on in age, inching closer to their third decade.

The airline also has one Boeing 777-200ER. It is meant to take two more from lessor AerCap, both first delivered to Asiana in 2001. However, given the current situation, it is highly unclear when deliveries will be able to take place.

Source: Simple Flying