Rescue life and career: Russian chess players, along with Ukrainians, go under the flag of England

According to a 21-year-old chess player Kamila Khshchenko, changing chess citizenship, she will be able to help Ukraine more and thank the people of England for their support. Last year, 44 Russian chess players, including grandmasters, wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin with criticism of war. The Ukrainian ascending star of Kamily Khshchenko had to leave her native Kramatorsk when bombs began to fall around.

Now the 21-year-old chess player lives in the English city of Hull, and the international chess organization helped her and her families move to a safe place. In turn, Russian Nikita Vitkov debuts for England at the European Chess Championship. Sky News writes about it. Camila has decided to perform international competitions under the English flag and is considered one of the most rating grasps in the country. "Chess is a family, especially in difficult times.

We knew that our world chess family would help," Kamila said from a crowded station in Kramatorsk in the first days of a full -scale invasion. A few days later, the Russian rocket took over 30 people at the city station. Kamila reached Chernivtsi, and then in Romania, the local chess federation helped to find her and her friends housing and decorate a British visa.

On April 24, 2022, she moved to England, and now lives in Gall, studies computer engineering, continues to play and raises funds to support Ukraine. She acknowledges that the decision to represent England in competitions was not easy. "It was a very difficult solution for me.

It was very personal, because of Ukraine and war, and I want to support my country," the chess player said, adding that chess citizenship was still in the interests of the career, and in such The way she wants to thank England for support. "It is better for me to provide tangible support by raising funds and volunteering than just a flag with my name," she said. When asked whether chess brings her pleasure, she said that she probably wants to throw everything player. "But I still love them.

I can't imagine myself without chess," she explained. Ukrainian Grandmaster Igor Kovalenko, who takes the 60th place in the list of the best in the world, for his part, went to the front. The 34-year-old chess player could not shoot before, but now in his chess career a break, but in the published photos he participated in the online tournament from the trench when it was quiet.

When, in the first days of a full -scale war, the columns of Russian tanks went to Kiev, Fide leadership condemned the use of military force and removed Russian and Belarusian players from competitions. Two months later, 44 Russian chess players, including a number of grandmasters, wrote an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin with criticism of the war and called for ceasefire. "We share the pain of our Ukrainian colleagues and call for peace," the letter said.

Since then, some well -known Russian chess players have begun under the flags of other countries, protesting against the Kremlin's actions. Among them is Nikita Vityugov, a 36-year-old chess player who moved from St. Petersburg to Eastern England. It holds the 31st line of the rating and is considered the best in England. Gregory Oparin, who grew up in Moscow, decided to change the country. "It was a full shock for me. I couldn't believe what was happening.

It was so embarrassed for my country that had unleashed the war," he said. According to a 26-year-old chess player, he immediately began the process of leaving the Russian Chess Federation. But for two years he could not perform under the American flag, as he wanted it, since it was necessary to pay more than 35 thousand euros of the Chess Federation of Russia. But not all Russian chess players opposed.

Sergey Karyakin, who occupied the 9th line of the world rating, supported the President of the Russian Federation. Fide has removed him for half a year, but now he refuses to participate in competitions, if it is forbidden to represent the Russian Federation. Since then, Karyakin appeared in the occupied territories and posed near the soldiers of the occupation group. Recall that scientists have come to the conclusion that the air around the game in chess.