Ukrainian midfielder Georgiy Sudakov has revealed that his apartment in Kyiv was severely damaged in a Russian drone strike while his wife, child, and mother were inside the home.
Sudakov, 23, who is currently away on international duty with the Ukrainian national team, shared images and videos of the aftermath on his Instagram account. The extent of any injuries to his family remains unclear.
“This is what my house looks like after tonight. Arrival of the Shahed drone. The wife, child and mother were at home at the time,” Sudakov wrote in his post.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 805 drones and 13 missiles overnight, with 751 drones intercepted. Despite these efforts, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that four people were killed and 44 injured in the strikes.
Residents in Kyiv reported the use of Iranian-made Shahed drones, which Sudakov referenced in his post. BBC Verify geolocated the footballer’s apartment building to the southeast of Kyiv’s Svyatoshyns’kyi district.
Verified footage from the scene shows the upper floors of the building badly damaged, with walls and windows blown out. Thick smoke and scorched facades were visible, while debris littered the street and nearby parked cars.
Sudakov, born in Bryanka in the Russian-occupied Donbas region, recently transferred from Shakhtar Donetsk to Benfica in August 2025. He has been capped 30 times for Ukraine.
In an interview with BBC Sport last year, Sudakov opened up about the emotional toll of continuing his football career amid war:
“It’s psychologically hard when your family is far away, and the first thing you see in the morning is a text from your wife saying she and your child are hiding in the bathroom,” he said in February 2024.
He also described the sense of duty shared by Ukrainian players during this difficult time:
“When we play for the national team, we feel responsibility and pride. We want to bring joy to the people who support us.”
Ukraine are currently preparing for their next World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Tuesday, following a 2-0 defeat to France in their Group D opener.
