Leading Melbourne-based jockey Craig Williams, with nearly 2,400 winners to his name, reflects on a recent visit to war-torn Ukraine – in his own words
Campaigning jockey Craig Williams started fund-raising for Ukraine as soon as Russia invaded the country where his wife Larysa was born.
With huge support from within the Australian racing industry and beyond, there have been six successful missions to deliver humanitarian aid.
Williams, who won the Melbourne Cup on Vow And Declare in 2019, has been three times. Last week the 46-year-old returned from his latest visit, during which he was allowed into the war-torn country for the second time.
During last year’s trip, on which he was joined by his four children and his parents, Williams met Glib Babich, who was tragically killed shortly after Williams returned home. Babich wasn’t forgotten during the couple’s stay.
This is Williams’s account of the eye-opening trip.
Twelve months on
Twelve months on from my last trip, I recently made my third visit to Ukraine with my wife Larysa and the difference we saw was incredible.
It’s still not logistically easy to get in but once you are inside you see a lot more people, more children and families and the capital Kyiv is amazing.
If it were not for the war, you would swear you were in a beautiful, vibrant, modern, European city.
There is all sorts of reconstruction going on – the high-end retail shops are there, we saw new cars, a lot of them electric, and there are many of the things we have at home.
On the other hand, the war is still going on so there is still security, a military presence, curfews and air-raid sirens to let everyone know there are projectiles coming into the area.
Worst of humanity
While we were there we visited Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel, where we saw the very worst of humanity as a result of the Russian invasion. We heard stories of the lost and dead people and how civilians were murdered, but also were shown how they are rebuilding.
You can feel the hardship they are experiencing but the people are that resilient and united that they are committed to winning. It motivated my wife and I to say we want to do even more to support the people of Ukraine.
This time we took over 600 staple guns plus staples – which are used to stitch wounds, because there has been a worldwide shortage – food parcels, trauma and survival kits. Because the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam, we provided desalination tablets to make the water drinkable.
We worked with Sprava Gromad in Ukraine which delivers food, mobile showers, hospitals and bakeries plus heaters, cookers, boilers to prepare for winter so we provide diesel generators, communications and vehicles.
We also financed the purchase of four buses to get people in and out safely.
Amazing support
It’s quite amazing how many people have supported our project to help people in Ukraine. It’s overwhelming for us. Everyone is so grateful that people care about their fight for survival.
We visited the cemetery where Glib Babich was buried. Before the war he was a poet, but he answered the call to help Ukraine and unfortunately lost his life when he was blown up in the east of the country. At his graveside was a sea of flags for fallen and lost heroes.
We have now raised nearly A$2.5 million. That money has come mostly from members of the racing industry all around the world. The people we met had everyday lives before this happened and now they are fighting to stay alive and make sure their country stays alive.
Over 14 days there were 15 air-raid sirens and we had to go down into bunkers to stay safe. We endured what people in Ukraine call normal.
It gives me a greater perspective on how fragile life is and that I was lucky to be born in Australia and don’t have a neighbour next door who thinks I shouldn’t exist.
Life can’t be replaced. Buildings, bridges, cars, they can be replaced – but not life. If I don’t win my race, I get another race. If they don’t win their fight, they don’t exist.
Craig Williams was speaking to Jon Lees
• Visit Craig Williams's website
Top Aussie jockey Craig Williams set to enter Ukraine on second humanitarian mission
Craig Williams drives to Ukraine to deliver humanitarian aid for relief effort
View the latest TRC Global Rankings for horses / jockeys / trainers / sires