ICCD is continuing supporting Ukraine’s plight and have been in constant touch with the Ukrainian Deaf Sports Federation. As of 24th March 2022, the Chess Technical Director, Volodymyr Kovalenko, has given us an update of the whereabouts of some of their players:

  1. Filippskikh, Alexey – Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, Ukraine;
  2. Zabolotny, Volodymyr – Oslo, Norway;
  3. Pokotaev, Vladislav – Mariupol Donetsk region, Ukraine. No contact since war commenced.
  4. Ovcharov, Taras – Cologne, Germany;
  5. Kovalenko, Volodymyr – Kyiv, Ukraine;
  6. Baklanova, Tatyana – Lviv, Ukraine;
  7. Gonchar, Svitlana – Odesa, Ukraine;
  8. Mironenko, Natalia – Poltava, Ukraine;
  9. Osipova, Olena – Malmö, Sweden;
  10. Ablokhina, Inha – Cologne, Germany;
  11. Liankhuzova, Alina – Cologne, Germany;
  12. Lavryk, Oleg – Kyiv, Ukraine;
  13. Nikolaev, Leonid – coach, Kyiv, Ukraine;
  14. Surkov, Oleg – doctor, unknown;
  15. Kolb, Denis – Lviv, Ukraine;
  16. Musienko, Oleksii – Lucerne, Switzerland;
  17. Antoniev, Volodymyr – Cologne, Germany.

It is hoped that six players (two teams) will make the trip to Cordoba, Spain, for the ICCD European Rapid Play and Blitz championships. Ukraine’s passion for deaf chess is to be praised; they deserved as much support as possible from the ICCD family especially in their stay in Cordoba. It is with regret that the ICCD General Secretary, Ivan Kulakov, will be absent but his mind and spirit will be with us. I can reassure you that he is doing fine in Lviv and coping to the best of his abilities. He is a wonderful ambassador for deaf chess having given so much to the ICCD over the last eight years. He will be sorely missed by all in Cordoba.

Please consider making a donation towards the Ukrainian deaf chess players; your contribution will be greatly acknowledged.

Thank you for your wonderful support!

Yours in chess

Phillip Gardner, ICCD President