Russia captain Artem Dzyuba hits back at his Premier League critics: ‘I’m proud to be Russian’

Artem Dzyuba had been silent on his country’s invasion of Ukraine which brought condemnation from Ukrainian players including Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko and West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko

Artem Dzyuba is a striker for Zenit St Petersburg (Reuters)

Russia captain Artem Dzyuba has hit back at criticism from Ukrainian players in the Premier League, accusing them of sitting “on their ass in mansions in England” and being “nasty”.

Up to now Dzyuba had been silent on his country’s invasion of Ukraine, a stance which had brought condemnation from some Ukrainian players. Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko called Dzyuba a “silent b***h”, while West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko referred to Dzyuba’s infamous sex tape, saying: “I know some of you like to show your balls on camera but now the time has come to show your balls in real life.”

Dzyuba, 33, posted a long Instagram message on Wednesday denouncing war as “frightful”, although he stopped short of condemning president Vladimir Putin’s deadly invasion of Ukraine. He also appeared to criticise Fifa’s move to ban Russia from international football, and in effect from the 2022 World Cup.

Russian clubs have been banned from European competition, while the city of St Petersburg has been stripped of its right to host the Champions League final.

“I am not afraid that I am Russian,” wrote Dzyuba, who plays as a striker for Zenit St Petersburg. “I’m proud to be Russian. And I don’t understand why athletes have to suffer now. I am against double standards ... Why has everyone shout about sports staying out of politics but, at the first opportunity, when it comes to Russia this principle is completely forgotten?”

He added: “I repeat, war is scary. In stressful situations, people show their true colours, sometimes negatively. How much anger, dirt and bile has now been poured on the Russian people, regardless of their position and profession? ... It is doubly strange to hear all this from people to whom Russia has given very, very much in their lives.

“And to some colleagues who sit on their ass in mansions in England and say nasty things: It cannot offend us, we understand everything! Peace and health to everybody!”

Yarmolenko’s video, posted on social media, saw him urge Russia’s players to speak out against the war. “I have a question for Russian players,” he said. “Guys, why are you sitting like s***heads and not saying anything? In my country they’re killing people, killing wives, killing mothers, killing our children. But you’re saying nothing, you’ve given no comments.

“Tell me please, what will happen if all of you together, united, show the people what is really happening in my country? I know a lot of you, I’m familiar with many of you and you all told me ‘it shouldn’t be like that’, that your president is acting incorrectly. So guys, you have influence over the people. Show this, I am asking you, please.”

One Russian player who has spoken out is Fedor Smolov, the Dynamo Moscow striker, who tweeted “No war!!!💔🇺🇦” last week as the invasion began.