Yehor Yarmoliuk exclusive: 'Brentford have ambitious goals under Keith Andrews' | OneFootball

West London has become home to so many fellow Ukrainians since the war, and the midfielder is grateful for all the club has done for his country

Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmoliuk was just a teenager when he left his family in war-torn Ukraine to pursue his dream of playing in the Premier League.

Raised just outside Dnipro in the small village of Verkhnodniprovsk, which has a population of around 15,000, Yarmoliuk is a symbol of hope in a place where everyone knows your name.

That intimacy and connection, where neighbours are not strangers, and people look out for each other, makes the ongoing conflict, which has destroyed the region, all the more heartbreaking.

Yarmoliuk was lucky enough to see his family in Ukraine this summer, but he admits it is “a great blessing” that he can still go back to his hometown four-and-a-half years on from Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“We all see the news and know what is happening in Ukraine. Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Kherson, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Sumy and many other cities are still being attacked and destroyed,” Yarmoliuk exclusively tells Standard Sport.

It is Yarmoliuk’s sincere belief that this “awful war” will finish soon. But the effects of a conflict, which the UN verified in June 2026 has taken at least 65,000 civilian casualties, will rage on as Ukrainians seek refuge far from home.

A screen displays the message "Football Stands Together" featuring a Ukrainian flag at Brentford Community Stadium in March 2022

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Under the post-2022 Homes for Ukraine scheme, Brentford and the surrounding boroughs of Hounslow and Ealing have provided extensive integration, housing, employment, and wellbeing support for Ukrainian refugees.

Ealing has the second-largest Ukrainian refugee community in London, with over 1,400 arrivals, and Yarmoliuk has worked with Brentford to provide support for Ukrainian’s in the local area.

“I am very grateful to the club because they do a lot to help Ukrainian people and refugees. There are also Ukrainians working at the club now after moving here because of the war,” Yarmoliuk continues.

Despite everything going on off the pitch, the 22-year-old has gone from strength to strength in a Brentford shirt - rising from the club’s B team to become a Premier League regular, closing in on 100 appearances in England’s top flight.

Rewarded with a new long-term contract in May last year, Yarmoliuk played an integral role as Brentford defied the odds under manager Keith Andrews, narrowly missing out on European qualification last season.

Andrews’ appointment was met with surprise from outside Brentford, with the former Ireland international stepping into his first senior managerial role.

Internally, though, the decision was viewed with far less skepticism, and Yarmoliuk insists there were never any doubts about Andrews’ credentials.

“His appointment was not a surprise for us,” Yarmoliuk continued. “He was a part of Thomas Frank's coaching staff, and we communicated a lot.

“He always gave me advice, explained what I could do better in different situations on the pitch, and what I needed to improve. He believed in me and supported me even when Thomas Frank was our head coach.”

When Yarmoliuk arrived in England at 18 with his girlfriend, Val, the first six months were, by their own admission, horrible.

Neither of them could speak English, and they did not have a support network around them as they adapted to a new country, a new city and a new language.

Now, though, Yarmoliuk, who has been learning English since he arrived in the country, speaks with a confidence and clarity that is reflected on the pitch.

“The intensity of the Premier League doesn’t allow you to be unsure of yourself. If your opponent sees that, you can lose the ball or miss an important moment.”

He also occasionally meets with fellow Ukrainian internationals Mykhailo Mudryk, who has been going through his own off-pitch struggles in the form of a now withdrawn doping ban, and Vitalii Mykolenko.

Their shared experiences as footballers and proud Ukrainians give Yarmoliuk a useful emotional outlet.

It is clear Yarmoliuk, who attended the Wimbledon final this summer, is enjoying life in London. He has grown from a boy to a man during his time in England and is now a crucial component of Brentford’s team.

Focused and ambitious are the two key themes heading into the start of the season, and Yarmoliuk admits he is quietly confident of delivering European football for the first time in the club’s history.

He said: “We always set ambitious goals for ourselves. In the Premier League, it has to be like that.

“We all want to qualify for European competitions, but the most important thing is to stay focused on every match and keep improving game by game.

“I really want to see Brentford playing in European competitions.”