Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th, a minority of Russian professional athletes have spoken out against the war. Of this minority, only three players from Russia’s football teams have spoken.
A player on the Russian men’s football team posted a “No War!” message on his Instagram feed. Another teammate posted the same thing but then deleted it right afterward.
The third player was the only one on the women’s football team to voice her opinion about the invasion. Ever since the war started, she has posted every day to her 143,000 followers on Instagram to stop the war. “I can’t just look at this inhumanity and stay silent,” she says. “I don’t know what would happen if I was in Russia, not in Spain, but I feel a special responsibility to speak out.”
These people must be very careful with their words. A new Russian law can convict anyone who spreads information or news that authorities deem as “Fake News.” The women’s footballer, Karpova, is not afraid to be censored by the Russian government. She’s afraid of not spreading her message the right way and meaningfully. “Russian propaganda is trying to persuade Russians that we are a very special nation and the whole world is against us and our ‘unique mission,'” she says.
“What unique mission are you talking about?” Karpova continues. “I don’t think that Russians are special. At the same time, I am not ashamed to be Russian, as [being Russian] doesn’t mean the government and Vladimir Putin.”
A player on the Russian men’s football team posted a “No War!” message on his Instagram feed. Another teammate posted the same thing but then deleted it right afterward.
The third player was the only one on the women’s football team to voice her opinion about the invasion. Ever since the war started, she has posted every day to her 143,000 followers on Instagram to stop the war. “I can’t just look at this inhumanity and stay silent,” she says. “I don’t know what would happen if I was in Russia, not in Spain, but I feel a special responsibility to speak out.”
These people must be very careful with their words. A new Russian law can convict anyone who spreads information or news that authorities deem as “Fake News.” The women’s footballer, Karpova, is not afraid to be censored by the Russian government. She’s afraid of not spreading her message the right way and meaningfully. “Russian propaganda is trying to persuade Russians that we are a very special nation and the whole world is against us and our ‘unique mission,'” she says.
“What unique mission are you talking about?” Karpova continues. “I don’t think that Russians are special. At the same time, I am not ashamed to be Russian, as [being Russian] doesn’t mean the government and Vladimir Putin.”
