War in Ukraine: Arsenal player Zinchenko will no longer shake hands with Russians

2023-06-15 10:02:04

Oleksandr Zinchenko will no longer greet his Russian and Belarusian opponents. In an interview with English journalist Piers Morgan, Arsenal midfielder once again expressed his fear and anger when discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“There is no longer any chance that I will shake hands with a Russian. I have to be honest, I will never accept their reaction, he insisted. You can tell yourself that they are not doing anything against us, or something like that. But yes, they are accomplices. How ? Because they don’t react. If no one wants to talk because they’re scared, then I’m sorry. Sorry. Never again call us brothers as you have done in the past. Never again “.

The Ukrainian international also reaffirmed his wish to no longer see Russian and Belarusian athletes evolve in competition. “I am one of the Ukrainians who do not like to see them at the highest level in any sport, he assures. Of course, they shouldn’t be allowed to compete. For what ? How many bombs and rockets have been sent from Belarus,” he said. Finally, he said he was ready to fight if he was ever called to join the “last call”. “I don’t see myself hiding somewhere,” he explained.

A solidarity match organized in London on August 5

The day before, in remarks reported by le « Daily Mail », he had testified to the horror he had experienced by going to Ukraine in recent weeks, alongside Andriy Shevchenko, a figure in Ukrainian football. “Imagine trying to sleep at night, with your children, and suddenly you hear sirens,” he imagined. You have to wake up, go to a bunker and hide, otherwise you risk losing your life or your house. You never know where the bombs and rockets may land…”.

“To live for a week with all of them, in these conditions, in the current situation in Ukraine, it was scary,” added the midfielder. He is also preparing to organize a solidarity match in London on August 5, called “Game4Ukraine”. The funds raised will be used in particular for reconstruction work.