Ukraine international Georgiy Sudakov posted video footage this week showing severe damage to the apartment in Kyiv where his wife, young child and mother were inside when Russian drones struck the building.
In an Instagram post, the 23-year-old midfielder — who is on loan at Benfica from Shakhtar Donetsk and is currently with Ukraine’s national team — shared images and video of rubble-strewn corridors, broken windows and water running in hallways. He wrote: "This is what my house looks like after tonight. Arrival of the shahed (drones). The wife, child and mother were home at the time. Non-people from a neighbouring country will write that military equipment is kept in my house." Sudakov did not say whether his family members were injured.
Ukrainian authorities said the strikes were part of a broader wave of attacks on Kyiv and other parts of the country this week. Ukraine’s air force reported that four people were killed and 44 were injured in the latest attacks and said Russia had fired 805 drones and 13 missiles during the assault. The air force statement did not specify locations for all the casualties.
Sudakov, who lives in Portugal while on loan at Benfica, has family who remain in Kyiv. Shakhtar players have been based in the capital since the club has been unable to play in its home region in Donbas because of the ongoing conflict that began in 2022.
The midfielder, who joined Shakhtar as an academy player in 2017, has earned 30 caps for Ukraine since his international debut in 2021 and has scored three goals. Benfica has an obligation to sign him permanently next summer.
Sudakov was part of Ukraine’s squad that recently lost 2-0 to France in a match played in Poland. The posting of his footage came as Kyiv faced renewed strikes that Ukrainian officials say are aimed at civilian infrastructure and residential areas; Russia has said its strikes target military sites, a claim denied by Ukrainian authorities.
Local and national emergency services responded to the strikes, clearing debris and treating the wounded, according to Ukrainian officials and media reports. The damage shown in Sudakov’s footage included a fire on the roof of the building and cars covered in debris.
International organizations, governments and rights groups have repeatedly expressed concern about the humanitarian impact of strikes on populated areas in Ukraine, calling for protection of civilians. The attacks this week are part of a continuing pattern of cross-border strikes that have affected cities across Ukraine since 2022.
Sudakov’s post drew attention on social media and among supporters of Ukrainian football. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the precise circumstances inside his apartment at the time of the strike beyond the video he released and the statements published by Ukrainian authorities.
Officials have not provided a public update on the condition of Sudakov’s family. Benfica and Shakhtar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.