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Ukrainian Swimming Coach Escapes Kyiv for New Life in Europe
10 Sep
Summary
- 22-year-old swimming coach Roman Melnik packing to leave Kyiv
- Heading to Czech Republic to teach swimming and save money
- Plans to eventually move to Florida or Texas in the United States
In September 2025, 22-year-old swimming coach Roman Melnik is preparing to leave Kyiv, Ukraine, and start a new life abroad. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, martial law had prevented men between 18 and 60 from leaving the country, even those not eligible for conscription.
However, last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that young men aged 18 to 22 would now be allowed to freely leave and return to Ukraine. Seizing this opportunity, Melnik is packing his bags and heading to the Czech Republic, where he hopes to pick up swimming classes to support himself financially.
Once Melnik has saved up some money, he plans to make his way across the Atlantic to pursue his long-held dream of living in the United States, specifically in Florida or Texas. "All my family knows how much I always wanted to move to Europe and to the United States," he says, as he prepares to depart his nearly bare flat in Kyiv. Though his family is happy for him, Melnik admits there were many tears during his farewell visit.
