- February 22, 2026
- 4:01 pm
- Ukraine
Israeli midfielder Tomer Yosefi, playing for the Ukrainian club ‘Polissya’ Zhytomyr, spoke about everyday life under air raid alerts. According to him, sirens sound almost regularly, and team players are forced to go down to shelter for two hours or more.
The interview was featured in the podcast ‘Shaar ha-Zahav’. The context is the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia and missile attacks on various regions of the country.
‘Sirens almost constantly’: what Yosefi said
Life away from the front — but not without worries
Yosefi clarified that he lives in a city located 8–10 hours away from the active line of combat. Nevertheless, air raid alerts are announced throughout the country.
‘The siren is like ours in Israel, only a bit louder,’ noted the footballer. According to him, air defense systems, including ‘Patriot’, are used in Ukraine, but interceptions are audible, and explosions still create tension.
He gave an example: his fiancée once stayed home during an alert and heard a ‘boom’ — the sound of an interception. At that moment, Yosefi himself was at a match and couldn’t be in touch.
Brazilians in anxiety, Israeli — ‘used to it’
The team includes several Brazilian footballers. According to Yosefi, they experience strong anxiety due to constant signals.
Players go down to the basement shelter. Sometimes the wait lasts up to two hours.
‘I’m always told that I’m used to it,’ he added, referring to the Israeli experience of living under rocket attacks.
Ukrainian football during the war
Club ‘Polissya’ Zhytomyr and match conditions
Despite the military situation, the Ukrainian championship continues. Matches are held in compliance with safety protocols: when an alert is announced, the game stops, and teams and spectators head to shelter.
This is the new reality of Ukrainian sports — adapting to risks without completely stopping competitions.
Yosefi became one of the few Israeli players continuing their career in a country at war. His experience is an example of how professional sports intersect with safety issues and personal resilience.
In publications by NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency the topic of Israelis in Ukraine is regularly considered in the context of a dual reality: the habit of sirens and the understanding that each country experiences its form of threat.
Israel and Ukraine: intersection of experience
Sirens as part of everyday life
For the Israeli audience, Yosefi’s words sound familiar. The only difference is geography. In Israel, air raid alerts have become part of life over many years. In Ukraine, this is an experience of recent years.
Psychological resilience, according to him, develops over time. But even habit does not eliminate the tension when an alert catches loved ones at home.
Football in conditions of instability
Yosefi’s story is not about politics, but about professional activity in an unstable environment. The Ukrainian championship remains active despite regular attacks.
Players adapt to safety procedures. Clubs work in coordination with the military administrations of the regions.
The experience of the Israeli footballer shows that sports continue to exist even in conditions of war, but its rules change.
An air raid alert can interrupt a match. An interception can be heard from an apartment. And shelter can become an obligatory part of the work schedule.
