War in Ukraine made me realise my problems were unimportant – Vitaliy Mykolenko

Vitaliy Mykolenko has admitted war in Ukraine has made him realise the problems he thought he had were unimportant.

The Everton defender is currently on international duty and is in line to face the Republic of Ireland in the Polish city of Lodz on Wednesday evening, his country’s fourth fixture in 11 days.

However, the aches and pains he has sustained during that run of games – as well as the disappointment of missing out on a trip to the World Cup finals following play-off defeat by Wales – after an ultimately successful battle against relegation from the Premier League pale into insignificance alongside the plight of his compatriots at home in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

Mykolenko said: “I am feeling really good now. If the team was playing in Ukraine, it would be much better.

“It wasn’t that difficult a time for me. Before the war, I thought that my problems were the biggest and now I realise they are small problems.

“When the war started, I would only think about my country and my team and do my best.”

Mykolenko, who joined the Toffees from Dynamo Kyiv in January, is in regular contact with his family back at home and it is a source of relief that they are currently safe.

He said: “My parents stay in Kyiv now and we keep in touch with them. My friends and relatives are in different places in the country and we try to keep in touch with them, but it is not always possible.

“But I keep in touch with all of them and thank God they are safe now.”

Mykolenko is still settling into life on Merseyside, a process which has been made a little easier by Ireland skipper Seamus Coleman.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference at he LKS Stadium, the 23-year-old revealed the part the now-injured Coleman had played in making