Leading chess players of Russia appeal to Putin for peace and ceasefire

Russia's leading chess players have made an official appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin

"We oppose military action on the territory of Ukraine and call for an early ceasefire and a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomatic negotiations. It pains us unbearably to see the catastrophe that is happening to our peoples these days.

We have always stood for Russia in individual and, with particular pride, in team competitions. We are sure that chess, just like sport in general, should unite people. The most difficult and prestigious international tournaments were held in our country at the highest level even at the height of the pandemic.

Chess teaches responsibility for one's actions; every step matters, and a mistake can lead to a fatal point of no return. And if it has always been about sport, now it is about people's lives, basic rights and freedoms, human dignity, the present and future of our countries that are at stake.

In these tragic days, our thoughts are with all the people caught in the middle of this terrible conflict. We share the pain with our Ukrainian colleagues and call for peace.

The Ukrainian chess team is the reigning European champion and one of the best teams in the world alongside ours. We have played dozens of matches and hundreds of games. We have always put competitive sport above politics, and Ukrainians reciprocate in our favour. We ask you to give teams, players and common people from both countries a chance for mutual respect.

We are for peace. Stop the war!"

The appeal was signed by:

Ian Nepomniachtchi, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Daniil Dubov, Pyotr Svidler, Andrey Esipenko, Maxim Matlakov, Kirill Alekseenko, Alexander Motylev, Mikhail Kobalia, Evgeny Naer, Pavel Tregubov, Alexander Khalifman, Polina Shuvalova, Igor Lysyi, Dmitry Kryakvin, Vladimir Barsky, Mark Glukhovsky , Maxim Notkin, Maxim Chigaev, Anastasia Chigaeva, Olga Badelko, Pavel Ponkratov, Alexander Shimanov, Daniil Yuffa, Konstantin Mesropov, Svetlana Ershova, Evgeny Egorov, Anna Volkova, Eteri Kublashvili, Yana Sidorchuk, Anna Burtasova, Denis Grigoriev, Ilya Gorodetsky, Oleg Pervakov.

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Source: championat.com...