The very strong Russian chess player sanctioned by the EU

The former challenger to the World Chess Throne, Sergey Cattle is among the Russian personalities sanctioned by the EU in recent days. The measures against the 35 -year -old from Sinferopoli were imposed by Brussels, according to what was reported within a declaration issued on Monday, since Karjakin “supported the special Russian military operation and expressed itself against territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine “. A position that has already cost the very strong Russian player, winner of the World Cup in 2015 and challenger of Magnus Carlsen, for the world crown, in 2016exclusion from maximum international competitions.

The news was also reported by the Tass that recalls how, already in February 2022, a few days after the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow, Karjakin had decided to take sides, with an open letter, on the “special military operation side of Russia in Ukraine “. The next day, with an ad hoc press release, the Fide (the world chess federation) condemned the words of the Russian master and announced a disciplinary procedure against him. On March 21, 2022 the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission (EDC) of the Karjakin suspended body from all competitions for a period of six months. A stop that led to the exclusion of the Russian chess player from the Tournament of the Fide candidates of 2022 and, consequently, sent all its chances of becoming the challenger to the world throne in smoke.

A fracture, the one between the world of chess and Karjakin, who has not remained with the passage of time. Currently Karjakin would hold Elo score, 13th place in the world rankings, but its position is considered inactive since it has not played any game in the last year. Although it is no longer under a disqualification regime, there is no tournament, apart from those organized in a motherland, which wants to invite him.

At swollen sail, however, his political career goes: in addition to having received a patriotic medal for Moscow for his services to the cause, in September 2024 He was elected Russian senator representing the annexed crimea. In addition, in his Telegram channel with almost 25 thousand members, Karjakin continues to make propaganda for Putin. And it is precisely in that channel that his ironic response came to Brussels position: “It is sad that they did not include me before (on the list of sanctioned, ed). I am happy to work for the good of my country and the his people “.

In the new package of sanctions against Russia, the European Union has imposed restrictions on numerous banks, information bodies and military structures. The total of the affected subjects is 48 people and 35 entities of different nature. Brussels’ move, Tass writes “follows recent progress in restoring relations between Russia and the United States, after a meeting between high Russian and American officials in Riad, Saudi Arabia, at the beginning of the month”.