ST. PETERSBURG — They stood in a circle, joined their hands, and shouted, “U! Kraine!”

Some are students, soldiers, and fathers. Others are professionals and business owners. They are players on the National Baseball Team of Ukraine, an honor they carry with pride, both on and off the field.

Three years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the battle has only intensified, leaving tens of thousands dead, cities in ruins and millions of families displaced. But amid the devastation, baseball has become a source of hope and a way for Ukrainian players to represent their country.

Now, St. Petersburg is on the map.

The team came this week after a few days in New York, where they played an exhibition game in Brooklyn. In St. Petersburg, they practiced and competed Tuesday against the Bay Area Pro amateur team at Baseball City, located at Walter Fuller Park. Beyond the game and the result, which Ukraine won 8–2, they found a sense of peace and normalcy.

“This has no price,” said coach Oleg Boyko. “It’s a wonderful experience.”

Bohdan Lucheiko warms up before batting during a game between the the Ukraine National Baseball Team and a local team as part of a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. Bohdan Lucheiko warms up before batting during a game between the the Ukraine National Baseball Team and a local team as part of a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]

Baseball in Ukraine has been growing in recent years, though it’s still less popular than soccer or basketball. The Ukrainian Baseball and Softball Federation was founded after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. However, Ukrainian teams had already been playing since 1989, according to WBSC Europe, the governing body that promotes baseball and softball in Europe.

For some players, it was their first time in America, a chance to explore a new environment and to show that baseball is a way to connect across cultures.

For others, like Sergii Shtapura, it marked a return to the United States. In 2022, the Ukrainian baseball team traveled to New York to raise funds and collect donations to help restore sports complexes damaged during the first nine months of the war.

Shtapura is a pitcher and a soldier in Ukraine’s National Guard. Like his teammates, he wore a royal blue jersey with the word “UKRAINE” printed in bold yellow across the chest.

Five years ago, Shtapura, 31, was in Germany, focused on building his baseball career. But when Russia launched its invasion, he made the decision to return home and join the resistance. His love for his country was greater than his plans for the future.

Shtapura is not the only one in his family on the frontlines. His father, he said, is also serving in the military, defending Ukraine alongside thousands of others amid Europe’s worst conflict in decades.

The Ukraine National Baseball Team prepares to play a game versus a local team as part of a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park, St. Petersburg. The Ukraine National Baseball Team prepares to play a game versus a local team as part of a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park, St. Petersburg. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]Keep up with Tampa Bay’s top headlines

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The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said that more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and more than 27,000 injured since the start of the war. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have died, and likely a larger number of Russian troops, according to the Associated Press.

Shtapura came with the team to connect with the community and show that they can still come together and stay strong. Like most of the other players, he was born and raised in Kropyvnytskyi, a city in central Ukraine. Just a month and a half ago, the city suffered one of the biggest attacks of the war, as about four dozen drones targeted civilian areas, damaging houses and buildings.

“It’s not easy to leave your country, but I decided to come here because it’s important,” Shtapura said. “War is war, and there’s nothing good to say about it.”

Players with the Ukraine National Baseball Team huddle after the top half of the first inning during a game during a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. Players with the Ukraine National Baseball Team huddle after the top half of the first inning during a game during a humanitarian visit to the United States on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]

The tour was not a coincidence but part of a humanitarian effort, said Dimitry Sagalchik, who helped bring the team to the United States just as he did three years ago. The team will stay until Friday, with plans to take in Clearwater Threshers and Tampa Bay Rays games before they leave.

Kevin B. Smith, one of the organizers and founder of OnPoint Sports Strategies, a sports consulting firm in St. Petersburg, said the tour is an opportunity for the players to enjoy some well-deserved time together. Planning took 18 months, he said, and involved many partners, including the city of St. Petersburg and the Visit St. Pete-Clearwater Sports Commission.

“As you can imagine, it’s not easy to bring young men out of the country at this time,” said Kevin.

One of them was Ihor Lukin, 25, who’s been with the national team for five years. For him, coming to the United States is about reminding people that Ukraine is still standing. Lukin has kept up his training during the war once a week, unless air raid sirens or sudden evacuations force them to stop.

“It’s a good chance to show we’re here and representing our country,” said Lukin, an economist.

His words echoed those of Boiko Andrii, an information technology specialist in Ukraine. He has been part of the team for six years. Andrii said it’s an honor to play for the national team, “not just representing baseball in Ukraine but also its people.”

A bat featuring the colors of the Ukrainian flag and edged with words in support of Ukraine is posted against the fence inside the Ukrainian team’s dugout during a game on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. A bat featuring the colors of the Ukrainian flag and edged with words in support of Ukraine is posted against the fence inside the Ukrainian team’s dugout during a game on Tuesday at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg. [ MARTHA ASENCIO-RHINE | Times ]

In front of him, a bat with the colors of the Ukrainian flag rested on the bench. On it were the words #gotobatforUkraine

“Baseball is part of our lives,” said Andrii. “It gives us the strength to keep going.”