On Thursday, by the decision of the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin – the country began hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. Russian aggression has met with criticism almost all over the world, and the first sanctions have been imposed on the country.
Russian aggression also had an impact on the world of sport, and players from all over the world spoke on social media against the hostilities. Most importantly, not only foreign athletes, but also those from Russia, decided to criticize Putin’s decision.
One of the first Russian sportsmen to oppose the aggression against Ukraine was the football player Dinama Moscow – Fyodor Smolov. The 45-time Russian international has joined the protest that the country’s athletes are expressing by posting black squares on social media with the annotation “not for war” and the Ukrainian flag.
Soon after Smołów, the Russian pentathlon player, Uliana Bataszowa, also appeared in social media. She, like the footballer, posted a black photo, adding “not for war, yes for peace”.
Russian athletes are against the war
“I hope this nightmare will end soon,” wrote Yevgeny Medvedev, a Russian figure skater, two-time silver medalist at the Pyongyang Olympic Games.
The protest was also joined by, inter alia, footballers: Magomied Ozdojew (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Aleksandr Sobolew (Spartak Moscow) and former Russian representatives Vasily Berezucki and Aleksandr Kierżakow. A former Russian tennis player, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, also expressed his objection.
An active competitor of this discipline – Andrei Rublev – posted a graphic on Instagram, opposing the war. As he admitted, he received many aggressive and offensive comments as a result. – Even if they throw stones at me, I have to show that I am for peace, I am not here to be aggressive, even if I am not responsible for something -.
In the conversation with the war, a competitor of the Premiership Zagłębie Lubin – Yevgeny Bashkirov also objected. – My brain is melting during therapeutic work. I can’t find any word that is more precious than human life, he said.
And he concluded: – I am praying for everyone in Ukraine, Russia, Poland and all of Europe. I am begging you that the next day, the next hour, the next second, bring us peace and stabilize this chaos. I hate violence. I hate war. I am against it and I cannot accept what is happening.
Source: Sport
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
