After bolting to Ukraine to escape political persecution in her native Belarus, Olympic swimmer Aliaksandra Herasimenia never thought she would again be forced to flee, this time to save her family from Russian attack.
Herasimenia, a three-time Olympic medallist, found herself among thousands of Ukrainians massing at the border with Poland as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv.
On the second day of the Russian invasion last month, Herasimenia and her husband, Olympic swimmer Yauhen Tsurkin, scrambled to pack some belongings and set off on a 12-hour car ride to the Polish border with their young daughter and Herasimenia's mother.
With explosions resounding in the background as they inched along congested roads, Herasimenia reassured her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, telling her it was only thunder.
"Of course I had to make something up because how do you explain to a child that war has started?" Herasimenia, who is now in Warsaw with her family, told Reuters.
Herasimenia was among the elite athletes who fled Belarus in the wake of a crackdown against those who protested what they said was the fraudulent re-election of Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020.
Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has denied any wrongdoing.
Russia has used Belarusian territory to launch a multi-pronged invasion of Ukraine, where many Belarusians settled after escaping persecution at home. Moscow says it is conducting a "special military operation" to disarm and "denazify" Ukraine.
"We've been running for a long time," said Herasimenia, whose family waited for nearly a day and a half at Ukraine's border with Poland.
"Those who left were the best of Belarusian society, those who were against what happened after the election, those who spoke out against the violence and expressed their position."
'FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM'
Herasimenia heads the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, a group that supports athletes who have been jailed or otherwise punished for their political views. These include Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, a sprinter who defected at the Tokyo Olympics last year after being removed from the Games against her will by coaches.
Following a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), several international sports federations have barred both Russian and Belarusian athletes from taking part in international events because of the invasion of Ukraine.
The foundation has backed the decision to ban Belarusian athletes but says it supports efforts by those who voiced opposition to Lukashenko to compete independently.
It is also determined to fight discrimination against Belarusians now that their country is viewed an "aggressor" by the public in many Western countries, Herasimenia said.
"A year and a half ago, we were the ones who were fighting for our rights, our freedom," said Herasimenia, who won silver in both the 100m and 50m freestyle at the 2012 London Games, and bronze in the 50m freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
"We called on the Europeans, Americans and everyone in Ukraine for help. We warned that Lukashenko was very dangerous.
"It's as if this never happened... No difference is being made between those who support Lukashenko and those who fought against him."
READ MORE: Latest development on Ukraine-Russia crisis
Reuters
Thu Mar 17 2022
Aliaksandra Herasimenia, a three-time Olympic medallist, found herself among thousands of Ukrainians massing at the border with Poland as Russian troops advanced on Kyiv. - REUTERS/Filepic
LHDN berjaya kutip RM512.6 juta melalui PKPS 2.0 - Amir Hamzah
LHDN telah mengutip RM512.6 juta daripada keseluruhan taksiran cukai berjumlah RM1.29 billion sepanjang tempoh PKPS 2.0.
Positif COVID-19 tidak perlu kemaskini MySejahtera
Jika didapati positif Covid-19, para pesakit tidak lagi perlu untuk mengemaskini status kesihatan terkini di aplikasi Mysejahtera, kerana covid seharusnya dirawat sama seperti jangkitan saluran penafasan yang lain.
Kandungan video promosi Georgetown Festival diturunkan
Pasukan George Town Festival 2024 telah menurunkan semua siaran berkaitan video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' atas dakwaan menyinggung perasaan budaya Melayu di Pulau Pinang yang seperti dilupai.
Ia berikutan tular penyiaran video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' yang didakwa hanya mempromosikan kebudayaan kaum Cina dan India.
Ia berikutan tular penyiaran video promosi sambutan 'George Town Festival 2024' yang didakwa hanya mempromosikan kebudayaan kaum Cina dan India.
KPM teliti sukarelawan dari Singapura, alu-alukan pesara guru Bahasa Inggeris di Malaysia
KPM sentiasa terbuka dan mengalu-alukan pesara guru bahasa Inggeris dalam negara untuk terlibat dalam PdP bagi meningkatkan penguasaan bahasa tersebut.
Pengajar Bahasa Inggeris dari Singapura, antara tumpuan
Penglibatan tenaga pengajar dari Singapura antara yang menjadi tumpuan di Dewan Rakyat pada Isnin.
Negara kekurangan tekong, beri kesan kekurangan ikan
Malaysia berhadapan kekurangan tekong tempatan berpengalaman yang ketara untuk kapal nelayan tempatan, terutama bagi perikanan laut dalam.
Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu berkata lebih ramai tekong tempatan perlu dilahirkan, kerana pada ketika ini orang luar terpaksa digunakan dan diberi peluang untuk berkhidmat sebagai tekong kapal nelayan tempatan di negara ini.
Menteri Pertanian dan Keterjaminan Makanan Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu berkata lebih ramai tekong tempatan perlu dilahirkan, kerana pada ketika ini orang luar terpaksa digunakan dan diberi peluang untuk berkhidmat sebagai tekong kapal nelayan tempatan di negara ini.
Jenayah: Polis sahkan suspek teman lelaki Nur Farah Kartini
Lelaki yang ditahan polis bagi membantu siasatan berhubung penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, adalah teman lelakinya.
Suspek kes kematian Nur Farah Kartini direman tujuh hari
Seorang penjawat awam yang dikaitkan dengan penemuan mayat Nur Farah Kartini Abdullah, direman selama tujuh hari bagi membantu siasatan kes tersebut.
[TERKINI] Pan Gon bakal umum letak jawatan hari ini?
Tidak ada maklumat lanjut berkaitan sidang media berkenaan walaupun desas desus mengatakan ia melibatkan kepimpinan tertinggi FAM atau barisan kejurulatihan skuad Harimau Malaya?
Bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenalkan semula GST - Amir Hamzah
Menteri Kewangan II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan berkata bukan masa sesuai untuk perkenal semula GST. Katanya, kerajaan hanya akan perkenalkan cukai yang tidak memberi kesan kepada golongan rentan.
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen
#AWANInews #SisiTVParlimen