Svyatoslav Bazakutsa and his mother arrived in the UK in 2022, refugees from the fighting in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Since then, supported by CSC CEO Malcolm Pein, Svyatoslav has continued to make excellent progress with his chess, achieving an IM norm at the European Championship in Serbia in March to add to his FM title.

However, chess doesn't just offer Svyatoslav opportunities for competitive success. Chess has offered him chances to integrate into British society in his new home city of Liverpool. As part of the recent Eurovision celebrations in the city, Svyatoslav and Malcolm gave a 20-board simultaneous display. You can read more about this event in a report from the United Nations here.