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Former Russian worldwide footballer Igor Denisov has mentioned he fears for his life after criticising his nation’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I don’t know, possibly for these phrases they’ll put me in jail or kill me, however I inform you the details,” the 38-year-old mentioned in an interview broadcast on YouTube.
“For me, it was not even a shock however a horror .. a catastrophe,” he continued of his preliminary response on listening to of the invasion.
One of many uncommon Russian sporting figures to talk out in opposition to the conflict, Denisov insisted he “loves (his) nation” and doesn’t intend to depart Russia.
Russian authorities have launched a legislation offering for as much as 15 years in jail for any publication of details about the military deemed false, together with the easy reality of utilizing “conflict” or “invasion” to explain the battle in Ukraine, which Denisov gave the impression to be doing in his interview, the phrases of that are then changed by a crackle within the audio.
“I need all the things to be good and peaceable right here,” continued the previous Zenit Saint Petersburg midfielder who revealed he wrote to President Vladimir Putin asking him to cease the army operation.
“I instructed him: ‘I’m able to kneel in entrance of you’”, he mentioned.
Denisov spent most of his profession at Zenit and Lokomotiv Moscow, the place he performed till 2019.
He was capped 54 occasions for Russia, together with a spell as captain.
Already in January 2021 he spoke out in favour of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
Few Russian athletes have criticised the invasion of Ukraine, though on the primary day of the operation, footballer Fedor Smolov posted a message on Instagram expressing his opposition.
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