March 3, 2022 – War in Ukraine
The appeal for peace of the Russian chess players
An appeal to stop the war, signed by dozens of great Russian chess players, appeared on the official Twitter account of the Russian Chess Federation . There it is.
The Russian Chess Federation has issued an appeal against the war. It is an important testimony given that chess is the first sport in Russia. We report it, translated, in its entirety.
Leading Russian chess players launch an official appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Appeal to the President of the Russian Federation of Russian chess players.
We oppose military actions on the territory of Ukraine and call for a timely ceasefire and a peaceful solution to the conflict through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations. It is unbearably painful for us to witness the catastrophe that is happening to our peoples these days. We have always played for Russia in individual matches and, with particular pride, in the team. We believe that chess, like sports in general, must bring people together. The most difficult and prestigious international tournaments were held in our Country at the highest levels even in the midst of the pandemic.
Chess teaches responsibility for one’s actions; every step counts and one mistake can lead to a fatal point of no return. And if we have always talked about sport, now people’s lives, fundamental rights and freedoms, human dignity, the present and the future of our Countries are at stake.
In these tragic days, we think of all the people who have found themselves at the center of this terrible conflict. We share the pain with our Ukrainian colleagues and ask for peace.
The Ukrainian chess team is the reigning European champion, one of the best teams in the world together with ours. We have played hundreds of games with them. We have always placed fair confrontation above politics and the Ukrainians have responded in the same way.
We ask you to give the teams, players and ordinary people of both Countries a chance for mutual respect. We are for peace. Stop the war!
The petition was signed by:
Ian Nepomniachtchi, Grand Master, Honored as Master of Sports of Russia, two-time Russian champion, European champion, vice-world champion, two-time world champion, European champion as part of the Russian team, winner of the FIDE Online Olympics as part of the Russian team;
Alexandra Kosteniuk, Grand Master, Honored as Master of Sports of Russia, 12th world champion, Russian champion, World Cup winner, three-time Olympic champion with the Russian team, two-time world champion and five-time European champion with the Russian team ;
Daniil Dubov, Grand Master, world champion of rapid chess, European champion as a member of the Russian team and winner of two online Olympics as a member of the Russian team;
Petr Svidler, Grand Master, Honored as Master of Sports of Russia, eight-time champion of Russia, winner of the World Cup, five-time winner of the World Chess Olympics as a member of the Russian team, two-time winner of the World Team Championship as a member of the Russian team, three-time winner of the European Team Championship as a member of the Russian team;
Andrey Esipenko, Grand Master, winner of two online Olympics as a member of the Russian team;
Maxim Matlakov, Grand Master, champion of Europe, champion of Europe as a member of the Russian team;
Kirill Alekseenko, Grand Master, participant in the Tournament of Candidates, European champion in the Russian team;
Alexander Motylev, Grand Master, champion of Russia, champion of Europe, coach of the Russian men’s team;
Evgeny Naer, Grand Master, European champion, coach of the Russian women’s team;
Pavel Tregubov, Grand Master, European champion;
Anton Demchenko, European champion Grand Master;
Mikhail Kobalia, Grand Master, senior coach of the Russian youth team;
Alexander Khalifman, Grand Master, FIDE world champion, two-time Olympic champion in the Russian team; Valentina Gunina, Grand Master, Honored as Master of Sports of Russia, multiple champion of Russia and Europe in individual competition, three-time Olympic champion with the Russian team, world champion, six-time European champion with the Russian team, winner of two online Olympics with the Russian team;
Polina Shuvalova, International Master, Junior World Chess Champion, Russian “Rapid” Champion, World and European Champion as a member of the Russian team, winner of two online Olympics as a member of the Russian team;
Alina Kashlinskaya, Grand Master, European champion, world champion and two-time European champion as part of the Russian team;
Igor Lysy, Grand Master, champion of Russia;
Dmitry Kryakvin, Grand Master, journalist;
Vladimir Barsky, International Master, journalist;
Mark Glukhovsky, Master Candidate, organizer;
Maxim Notkin, International Master, journalist;
Maxim Chigaev, Grand Master;
Anastasia Chigaeva, FIDE Master;
Olga Badelko, Grand Master;
Pavel Ponkratov, Grand Master;
Alexander Shimanov, Grand Master;
Igor Berdichevsky, Grand Master;
Ivan Rozum, Grand Master;
Ildar Khairullin, Grand Master;
Artur Gabrielyan, Grand Master;
Nikita Petrov, Grand Master;
Evgeny Gleizerov, Grand Master;
Artem Odegov, FIDE Master;
Konstantin Mesropov, International Master;
Svetlana Ershova, International Master;
Evgeny Egorov, International Master;
Anna Volkova, organizer;
Eteri Kublashvili, FIDE Master;
Yana Sidorchuk, organizer;
Anna Burtasova, Female Grand Master;
Denis Grigoriev, journalist; Ilya Gorodetsky, Candidate Master, commentator;
Oleg Pervakov, Grand Master, multiple world champion of chess composition, journalist.
STRONG AND COURAGEOUS PLAYERS – WE ARE STAND UP FOR PEACE!