Zinchenko, Yarmolenko and Mykolenko fumes as Dzyuba takes swipe at Ukrainian players

Zinchenko, Yarmolenko and Mykolenko fumes as Artem Dzyuba takes a swipe at Ukrainian players for ‘sitting in English mansions’.

The Russia captain has responded to criticism from a number of Ukrainian Premier League stars over his and his international teammates’ silence on the invasion of Ukraine.

Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko first branded Dzyuba a ‘bitch’ while he and West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko called Russian players ‘shitheads’ for not speaking out against Vladimir Putin.

Mykolenko calls out Artem Dzyuba on IG:

‘Whilst you remain silent bitch along with your shithead football teammates, peaceful civilians are being killed in 🇺🇦. You will be locked in your dungeon for the rest of your life and most importantly the lives of your kids. And I’m glad. pic.twitter.com/ak4nEuLq8s

— Zorya Londonsk (@ZoryaLondonsk) March 1, 2022

Dzyuba took aim at the Ukraine internationals currently in England, and also the sporting sanctions imposed on his home nation over the last week.

Russia has been banned from this year’s World Cup in Qatar by FIFA, while UEFA has suspended Russian teams from all European competition, with Spartak Moscow removed from the Europa League last-16.

The Champions League final has been moved from St Petersburg to Paris, with Russian athletes also facing sanctions in tennis, Formula 1 and the upcoming Winter Paralympics in Beijing.

In a lengthy statement on his Instagram page, Dzyuba hit out at the criticism aimed his way, as well as the ‘discrimination’ against Russian athletes amid the ongoing crisis, saying he doesn’t understand why they are being punished.

“Until recently, I did not want to speak on the topic of events in Ukraine,” Dzyuba wrote.

“I didn’t want to, not because I’m afraid, but because I’m not an expert in politics, I never got into it and didn’t intend to (unlike a large number of political scientists and virologists who have recently appeared on the Internet).

“But like everyone else, I have my own opinion. Since I am being drawn to this topic from all sides, I will express it.

“I am against discrimination based on nationality. I’m not ashamed that I’m Russian. I am proud to be Russian. And I don’t understand why athletes should suffer now.

“I am against double standards. Why one can do everything, but all the dogs are hanged on us.

“Why is everyone always shouting about sports outside of politics, but at the first opportunity, when it comes to Russia, this principle is completely forgotten?

“Again, war is scary. In stressful situations, people show their essence, sometimes negative. How much anger, dirt and bile has now poured out on all Russian people, regardless of their position and profession.

“Those thousands of people who write insults and threats – get in line! It is doubly strange to hear all this from people to whom Russia has given very, very much in their lives. All this only creates more negativity.

“The war will end, but human relations will remain. And it will be impossible to rewind. Remember this.”

Russia’s captain Artem Dzyuba has spoken for the first time since the invasion of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/iz5YWOnJSs

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) March 3, 2022

Dzyuba concluded his post by turning towards his critics from the Premier League.

“P.S. And to some colleagues in the shop who sit on their a**** in mansions in England and say nasty things: this cannot offend us, we understand everything!

“Peace and goodness to all! #I’mAPatriotOfMyCountry #SportOutPolitics”

Manchester City defender Oleksandr Zinchenko has criticised the Russia captain over his comments regarding his country’s invasion of Ukraine.

He replied: “We continue to promote truth. There are several important messages that I want to convey to the public, in particular the citizens of the aggressor’s country and colleagues in the shop. There was a period in my football career when I played for FC UFA.

“It was a difficult but useful 1.5 years. I will always be grateful to this club for everything they have done for me.

“But I want to emphasize that I became a footballer in Ukraine. It was in my homeland that I received my football education, studied at academies and grew up.

“Therefore, to all those who accuse me that Russian football brought me up, I want to say once again: I am a pupil of the Academy of the beautiful Ukrainian city of Donetsk. Let’s move on… your trump card argument is ‘sport out of politics’.

“Indeed, sport should not be part of election campaigning, party races, slogans or PR platforms. But sport, like any sphere of life, cannot stand aside from the issues of war, aggression and death.

“Everyone must fight evil, regardless of profession. Why do Ukrainian footballers call for football sanctions against the aggressor’s country?

“Do we really want to deprive you of the opportunity to do your favourite thing? No.

“We use all methods to stop the aggressor country from its occupying ambitions. Evil must be punished in all areas that are accessible to society.

“We will knock on your doors with sanctions with even greater aggression than you do when you cross the border of our state with weapons. Stopping the occupation is the main and only goal of all our actions.

“And the last. In the hands of Russian footballers multi-million audience.

“People love you, they support you and listen to your words. Therefore, to remain silent is a crime.

“I know that opposition thinking is being punished in your country, but when the opposition becomes the majority, it begins to be in power. Therefore, all people who do not want death and hatred in the world must shout loudly and clearly about it.

“One should not be afraid of petty punishments when human life is at stake. Glory to Ukraine.”

‘I know you like to show your balls on camera… now show them in real life’

+ West Ham’s Ukrainian star Andriy Yarmolenko brings up Russia captain Artem Dzyuba’s notorious SEX TAPE as he calls on Russian players to break their silence on the war https://t.co/GgBLQASK3g pic.twitter.com/6K9J5EBXmJ

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) March 2, 2022

Yarmolenko has since flown to the border of Ukraine to help rescue his family.

The West Ham player is attempting to save his wife and three children following Russia’s brutal invasion of their homeland.

Andriy Shevchenko revealed the news as he also claimed that his own family are refusing to leave the war-torn capital of Kyiv.

In the eight days since the war started, Russian troops have closed in on Kyiv, with up to 2,000 civilians losing their lives while a million people have been displaced by the invasion, according to the UN refugee agency.

“Andriy I think is flying now to Poland to get his wife,” he told Sky Sports.

“I’m not sure but I know his wife, I think she is now across the border and she is probably coming here.

“I know how difficult it is for him – it’s a stressful time when his family are there. I can’t even concentrate. I just look at the news at what’s going on a little bit. I can’t watch even a football game.”

Shevchenko has said he is pondering returning to Ukraine to help his own fight back against Russian troops and that he is also trying to get his family out – but they are refusing to leave Kyiv.

“I’m so proud to be Ukrainian. It’s a very difficult moment for my country, my people, my family. My mum and sister are in Kyiv at the moment, and terrible things have happened there.

“I have tried [to convince my family to leave] many times, I have talked to them, but the answer is no. They want to stay there. This is the Ukrainian spirit.

“Football doesn’t exist for me anymore. I don’t think about it. It’s not the time for that. I’m not watching anything, any sport, anything.

“All my concentration, when I wake up, I think about how I can help my country, what I can do. I’ve started to call my parents, my friends, get updates on what’s going on in Ukraine. For me, this is my field, this is my concentration now.”