Russian footballer, former Zenit striker Alexander Kerzhakov said he left Russia with his family in September 2022. The reason is that it has become difficult for the ex-striker to be in the country” due to the current situation.” The Eastern Herald tells which other Russian athletes have spoken out against military operations in Ukraine.
As Kerzhakov explained, it became scary and difficult for him to be in Russia, so he decided to leave. The footballer stressed that he “did not run away, did not deny his homeland, but simply left during this period”.
“I’m scared. Never in my life could I have believed this was possible. After almost every interview, when asked what was my most important wish I wanted to make, I replied: “so that there is no war. I don’t understand how it is possible that now, in such a modern and progressive society, this can happen,” Kerzhakov said in an interview with Nobel journalist Arustamyan.
Alexander Kerzhakov is a former striker for Zenit and the Russian national team. He was recognized as the top scorer in Russian football – both in the history of the club and the national team. During his career, he marked 233 years.
Kerzhakov ended his professional football career in 2017. After that, he coached Russia’s youth team, Nizhny Novgorod club “Pari NN” and Cypriot club “Karmiotissa”. The contract with the latter ended in April 2023.
Which of the athletes spoke out against the military operation in Ukraine
Former captain of the Russian national football team Igor Denisov openly spoke against military operations in Ukraine. In an interview with Nobel Arustamyan, he called what was happening a “catastrophe”, which caused him “shock and horror”. He said that after Feb. 24 he stopped sleeping and he couldn’t figure out why this was happening in 2022.
“I don’t know, maybe they’ll put me in jail or kill me for those words, but I tell it like it is,” he said.
Denisov added that a few days after the outbreak of hostilities he wrote a letter to Vladimir Putin with a request “that everything stop”.
On February 24, 2022, Dynamo Moscow and Russian national team striker Fedor Smolov wrote an anti-war slogan on his Instagram*.
In January 2023, the athlete informed that together with former Russian national team midfielder Pavel Mamaev, he will open a children’s football academy in the United Arab Emirates. After that, the deputy of the State Duma, Olympic champion in speed skating Svetlana Zhurova suggested that thus the players would have decided to avoid mobilization. The parliamentarian also accused the athletes of a lack of patriotism, because, in her opinion, it would be worth opening a football academy in Russia at her own expense.
“Who raised them once in childhood? Therefore, it is more correct to spend on our children. Reminds me that they simply hid from the mobilization”, said She is on the antenna of the radio station “Moscow speaks”.
Later Zhurova declared who does not accuse the players of dodging the mobilization. She noted that in her comments on the opening of a football academy in the United Arab Emirates, she had more questions than statements.
“Everyone was terribly misrepresented, my words were upset and terrible insults were poured into my address, and now I don’t want to justify myself to the fans at all,” the MP said.
Tennis player Andrey Rublev, after reaching the final of the ATP-500 tournament in Dubai (UAE), on February 25, wrote in English on the lens of a television camera “No in *** e, s ‘please.” Previously, the tennis player said that for him the most important thing is peace on Earth.
Tennis player Andrey RublevFrabeland Charles Mallari/EPA/TASS
In November 2022, after defeating Russian Daniil Medvedev, Rublev again wrote the slogan on a television camera. This time he was saying, “Peace, peace, peace is all we need. However, he did not mention Russia or Ukraine when commenting on his act.
The world’s first racket, tennis player Daniil Medvedev said he wanted to “promote peace in the world”.
“We play in so many different countries, I’ve been to many countries as a junior and as a pro. It’s not easy to hear all this news. I’m for peace! — cited tennis player edition of the Daily Express.
Russia’s first racket, tennis player Daria Kasatkina has also spoken out against the fights. In July 2022 Sports.ru published a fragment of her interview, in which she said that if she could influence the situation, she would do everything that depends on her.
“Since February 24, there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t read information myself, or thought about it, or somehow a day has happened. passed without it. <...> What people are going through there, or people who have family and friends there, yes, in Ukraine. Even the fact that now Russia, Belgorod is there. <…> And I have no idea what they're going through. If only we could do something to stop this. <...> Just to stop, not to influence people's opinion, something else. Stopped. Shit, without hesitation, I would do anything that depends on me. But, unfortunately, damn it, well, that's impossible,” she said. Biathlete, member of the Russian national team Larisa Kuklina posted calls on social networks to stop hostilities in Ukraine. "What's going on?! Stop! We live in the 21st century!" she wrote. She added the hashtags "Russia", "Ukraine" and "Not in ***" to . On the day of the start of the military operation in Ukraine, February 24, 2022, footballer Vasily Berezutsky posted an anti-war slogan on his social networks. Peace publications appeared also on the pages of figure skaters Alexei Yagudin and Evgenia Medvedeva. Against the fights expressed himself and hockey player Alexander Ovechkin.
* owned by Meta Corporation, which is recognized as extremist and banned in Russia
