Russian goalkeeper Kritsyuk reveals torment over Ukraine crisis: 'Restless in my soul'

Zenit goalkeeper Stanislav Kritsyuk has expressed his concern as Russian forces engage in conflict in Ukraine, declaring it is leaving him feeling "restless".

The 31-year-old, who has won two caps for Russia, posted a message on Instagram in which he called for peace and said he felt compelled to speak out. Instead of an accompanying picture, Kritsyuk put his words alongside a black square, seemingly signifying the gloom of the situation. Thousands of military on both sides, along with many civilians, are feared to have died in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Kritsyuk wrote: "All these days I, like many of us, am restless in my soul. It would be possible to find an excuse: 'Sport is out of politics' and focus on training. But this is just an attempt to deceive yourself. Because I am not only a football player, but also a person, a citizen, a father, a son. And I am against anyone suffering and dying. To the world peace, any human life is a value, clear skies above everyone's heads! This is how I was taught from childhood."