Top Russian Chess Player Condemns Invasion Of Ukraine As ‘Very Wrong’

The invasion Russia launched against Ukraine is receiving opposition from an unexpected place.

Russian chess grandmaster Alexander Grischuk condemned Russia’s assault on Ukraine on Thursday at the FIDE Grand Prix 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia, calling it “very wrong” in an interview. Grischuk has become one of Russia’s most high-profile sports figures to oppose the invasion.

“I was, and would, support Russia in 99 percent of international conflicts, but this time I cannot manage to do this,” Grischuk said, per The New York Times’ Michael Levenson. “In my view, what we are doing is very wrong, from both moral view and practical view.”

The International Chess Federation has joined other sporting organizations in cutting ties with Russian companies and teams and preventing athletes from representing the country, following the invasion.

Grischuk, one of the world’s highest-ranked chess players, undoubtedly risks support at home in denouncing his country’s invasion of its neighbor.