Russian Footballer Cautions Vladimir Putin Against Declaring War on Ukraine

Russian Footballer Cautions Vladimir Putin Against Declaring War on Ukraine

Chukwu Ikechukwu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:56 PM
  • Fedor Smolov who plays for Dynamo Moscow has become the first high profile Russian footballer to speak out against the war on Ukraine
  • The 32-year-old striker has joined several sports stars who have taken to social media to call for the war against Ukraine to be halted
  • Russia has launched a ground mission on the neighbouring country, while several parts of Ukraine have witnessed attacks

Fedor Smolov who plays for Dynamo Moscow has become the first recognized Russian footballer to speak up against the war declared on Ukraine by Vladimir Putin.

The Russian President on Thursday, February 24 declared war on its neighbours Ukraine and has started sending troops around the border for a potential invasion of the Eastern European country in the coming days.

Russian Footballer Cautions Vladimir Putin Against Declaring War on Ukraine
Fedor Smolov has been capped 45-times by the Russian national team and has been called up to the last three national squads. Photo by Francois Nel
Source: Getty Images

According to a report via Sports Bible, the 32-year-old took to social media and posted a black square with the caption 'No War,' which also included a Ukraine flag and a broken heart.

Smolov has played for Russia on 45 occasions, scoring 16 goals, and has been playing for Dynamo since the beginning of the year, having returned there from city rivals Lokomotiv Moscow.

Ukraine league suspended due to war with Russia

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian football league has been placed on suspension due to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.

According to a report via Marca, the league said the suspension was due to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to impose martial law in the Eastern European nation.

The league body did not however confirm the resumption date of the league as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate.

Players of foreign nations plying their trade in the Ukrainian Premier League have started beckoning on their respective countries for help to leave the country.

Manchester City Star 'Attacks' Vladimir Putin on Instagram

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko has broken his silence after Russia declared war on his home country as tensions continue to escalate, SI reports.

Reports have it that the Russian president Vladimir Putin is beginning to send troops, as bombs continue to hit different parts of Ukraine.

Zinchenko who plays for Premier League club Manchester City spent a lot of his career at Russian outfit, FC Ufa, before moving to England in 2016.

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Chukwu Ikechukwu
Chukwu Ikechukwu Godwin is a journalist with over 9 years of experience in the Nigerian media industry. He has worked both in Radio (Today FM, Rhythm FM, Wish FM) and Television (Silverbird TV) as a Sports Analyst..
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