The Russian chess players support Kiev and have petitioned President Putin to end the conflict, saying, “The Ukrainians are our brothers, we pray for peace.” Given that chess is a national sport in Russia, and that it is popular in schools and clubs, this is a strong stance. The letter, which was relaunched and translated on the Italian Federation’s (Fsi) social media channels, was signed by more than thirty players, including Ian Nepomniachtchi, Daniil Dubov, and Aleksandra Kosteniuk.
Many of Russia’s most powerful players have taken a united stance, urging Putin to end the conflict. In addition, the petition has been shared on the Federation’s social media platforms! https://t.co/bpjpyvvsfv
March 3, 2022 – Italian Chess Federation (@federscacchi)
“The President of the Russian Federation of Chess Players has been contacted. We condemn military attacks on Ukrainian soil and demand a prompt cease-fire as well as a peaceful resolution to the situation through conversation and diplomatic negotiations “, according to a note posted on the site and on Twitter.
The athletes who compete in international events without their own flag write, “It is extremely terrible for us to observe the calamity that is occurring to our peoples these days.”
“We’ve always represented Russia in individual competitions and, more importantly, in teams. Chess, like sports in general, we believe, must bring people together. At the top level, our country hosted the most tough and important international events. even in the midst of a pandemic Chess teaches that one must take responsibility for one’s actions, that every action counts, and that a mistake can lead to a situation where there is no way out. And, while it has always been about sport, now it is about people’s lives, rights, fundamental freedoms, human dignity, our countries’ present and future “.. This has resulted in “We think of all the people who have been caught in the middle of this terrible conflict these tragic days. Our pain is shared by our Ukrainian colleagues, and we plead for peace “..
The Russian chess players then reminisce about how the Ukrainian women’s chess team is the reigning European champion “Together with ours, they form one of the best teams in the world. We’ve played dozens of games, if not hundreds. We have always prioritized the competitive challenge over politics, and the Ukrainians have followed suit. We respectfully request that you provide an opportunity for mutual respect amongst the teams, players, and ordinary citizens of both countries. We are in favor of peace. Put an end to the war!”
Sergej Karjakin, the world number 18 and a Putin admirer, is, on the other side, absent. The former world champion challenger, who was defeated by Magnus Carlsen in 2016, was born in pro-Russian Crimea and has recently provoked outrage with several tweets in support of Russia’s expansion in Ukraine. The International Federation has opened a “ethical” case against him in order to assess his actions and take appropriate action. The potential of organizing and hosting the future Summer Olympics was also taken away from Moscow a few days ago.
These are the names of the petition’s signatories: Ian Nepomniachtchi, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Daniil Dubov, Peter Svidler, Andrey Esipenko, Maxim Matlakov, Kirill Alekseenko, Alexander Motylev, Evgeny Naer, Pavel Tregubov, Alexander Khalifman, Polina Shuvalova, Igor Lysy, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Alexandr Maxim Notkin, Maxim Chigaev, Anastasia Chigaeva, Olga Badelko, Pavel Ponkratov, Alexander Shimanov, Daniel Yuffa, Konstantin Mesropov, Svetlana Ershova, Evgeny Egorov, Anna Volkova, Eteri Kublashvili, Yana Sidorchuk, Anna Burtasova, Denis Grigoriev, Ilya Gor