Paralympian Sharad Kumar Worried About Coach's Safety as Russia Attack Ukraine

Sharad, who bagged Bronze in Tokyo last year, had been planning a return to Ukraine later this year.

File: India's Paralympian Sharad Kumar arrived in New Delhi to a great welcome. 

Image: Sharad Kumar/Twitter 

Russia’s military operation against Ukraine is unfortunately causing quite a bit of concern around the globe. Soon after Russian president Vladimir Putin's morning address, where he confirmed the military operations, explosions have rocked neighbours Ukraine.

Meanwhile, India’s Tokyo Paralympics Bronze medallist Sharad Kumar is extremely worried about his coach, Nikitan Uffgan, and his friends in Ukraine. Kumar said that his coach can hear the bombing in his room and was looking to relocate immediately.

"Just spoke to my coach in Ukraine Kharkiv , he is worried , he can hear bombing from his room, he is planning to move to his garage underground," the Tokyo Paralympics' bronze medallists wrote on Twitter. Sharad's training base is also in Ukraine.

"I called up my coach (Nikitan Uffgan) and he told me bombings were happening all around. He could hear it from his bedroom," Sharad Kumar was quoted as saying by ESPN.

"His wife was crying over the phone and they were moving underground. I called up other friends in Kharkiv, they are all scared as well. I just feel terrible and helpless."

Uffgan was the national high jump coach when the two had met and Sharad had been based in Kharkiv in Ukraine since 2016. Between 2016 and 2020, Sharad had returned to Patna, his home town only thrice.

"Even when I was in Ukraine, I'd hear of military conflict. Of course not at the scale it's happening now. But it was sort of always on the simmer."

Sharad, who bagged Bronze in the F-42 high jump category in Tokyo last year, had been planning a return to Ukraine later this year.