It was on February 24 that Hlib shook Nikita's life to sleep on the sofa.
- The war has started, he shouted.
Nikita felt uncomfortable.
Russia, his homeland, had begun the invasion of Ukraine.
What would he say?
- It was not like I could call someone and ask them to stop, he says.
Became friends quickly
Before that day, they had hardly thought about being born on different sides of the border.
They both had Russian as their mother tongue and Hlib had studied in Russia.
Now their lands were bitter enemies.
When they came to Sweden to gain experience of Swedish ice hockey, they did not know each other but they quickly became friends and came to share a home in a basement in Saltsjöbaden.
They cooked together and watched Russian soaps on Youtube.
They had become friends.
Now Hlib's mother and siblings were fleeing west to Ukraine.
The father remained in Kyiv.
The reports from home were not uplifting.
Many of the houses on the street had been demolished in the shelling.
- I could not believe that it really happened, says Hlib.
But, he continues, when I was sad and just lying on the bed, Nikita used to come and try to cheer me up.
Joking or suggesting that we do something.
Nikita has also felt the consequences of the war - although he emphasizes that it is on a completely different level.
Like his debit card suddenly stopped working and he gets weird looks when he says he comes from Russia.
Collected money
Since they can no longer receive money from their families, Nacka hockey has collected money so that they can at least have food and rent.
When Aktuellt meets the guys, it's the last night for Nikita.
His time in Sweden is over and it is time to return to Rostov at Don.Hlib has applied for asylum and hopes that at least his mother and siblings can get to Sweden.
Will it be able to continue to be friends?
- I hope so, says Hlib.
Nikita nods