Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 9:11 PM• Jeroen van Poppel

Artem Dzyuba has spoken out for the first time about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The captain of the Russian football team feels compelled to do so by allegations by some Ukrainian players, who called him ‘coward’, among other things. Dzyuba says he is ‘against any war’, but also emphasizes that he is a proud Russian. “I’m not afraid to be Russian,” the 33-year-old striker of Zenit Saint Petersburg writes on Instagram.

West Ham United’s Andriy Yarmolenko and Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko demanded Dzyuba’s response to the war via social media. “You’re normally always so attention-hungry, now it’s time to take the limelight,” wrote Yarmolenko, alluding to Dzyuba’s penchant for making TikTok videos. Mykolenko went the extra mile. “Coward. While you are silent with those other bastards, peaceful civilians are being murdered in Ukraine,” said the Everton left-back.

The provocations from the Ukrainians thus provoked a reaction from Dzyuba. “Until recently, I did not want to talk about what is happening in Ukraine,” said the Russian. “I didn’t want to. It’s not because I’m afraid, but because I’m not a political expert. I never got into it and didn’t intend to. But like everyone else, I have my own opinion. Since this topic attracts from all sides, I will express it.”

“I am against any war. War is a terrible thing,” said Dzyuba, who does not want to comment specifically on the situation in Ukraine and changes the subject. “I am also against human aggression and hatred, which takes on a devastating scale every day. I am not afraid to be Russian. I am proud to be Russian. And I do not understand why top Russian athletes have to suffer now. I am against that double standard.”

Finally, Dzyuba throws a sneer at Yarmolenko and Mykolenko. “And to some colleagues who sit in mansions in England and say nasty things: this can’t offend us, we understand everything! Peace and goodness to all!”