Even in the conditions of the full-scale war of Russia on our lands, which has been going on for more than two years, the ties of the players of the national team of Ukraine with the aggressor country continue.

Mykhailo Mudryk is at the center of the scandal

Mykhailo Mudryk, winger of the London "Chelsea", was at the epicenter of the scandal during Euro-2024. According to the information that appeared, the football player ordered a luxurious bouquet of flowers for Russian model Violetta Grachova from a Moscow store to congratulate her on her birthday.

Team and public reaction

This act caused a wave of indignation among Ukrainian fans. During the press conference, Mudryk's teammates from the national team were asked about this incident, but they said that this was the first time they had heard about it. Despite the hate from Ukrainians, Mudryk continues to like the model's Instagram posts.

Historical context: from Voronin to Zinchenko

This is not the first time that players of the Ukrainian national team find themselves in similar situations. At Euro-2012, Andriy Voronin, who played for Dynamo Moscow, was perceived as one of his own among strangers. According to Oleksandr Kucher, Voronin was a cheerful guy who easily found a common language with everyone.

Seleznyov and Zinchenko: apolitical or indifference?

At Euro-2016 Yevgeny Seleznev, who went to play in Russia to feed his family, said: "I play football. OK, come on, who criticizes me? Let him create a team, feed my son, satisfy all my needs and creates a level of championship that I will like...". There was also a scandal with Oleksandr Zinchenko when he played for Ufa and did not even deny the possibility of playing for the Russian national team.

Euro-2020: musical taste and photo with Basta

A few days before Euro-2020, UEFA presented the music playlists of the national teams participating in the tournament. The playlist of the Ukrainian national team included tracks by Russian artists, which caused outrage. After the elimination of the Ukrainian national team in the quarterfinals, Roman Yaremchuk and Vitaly Mykolenko met the Russian rapper Basta in Turkey and took a photo with him, for which they later apologized.

"I received a lot of criticism for this situation. It's normal. I agree with it. They did the right thing, that I was "sprinkled" like that. It was a big mistake, for which I want to apologize now to the people who are currently affected by the "Russian peace" . I don't know what else I can say," Yaremchuk said.

Conclusions and forecasts for the future

These incidents highlight the complexity of relations between Ukrainian athletes and Russia. Against the background of war, such actions cause particular indignation. It remains to be hoped that similar situations will not be repeated, and athletes will be more careful in their actions and statements.

Editor: Emilia Morozova