U.S. Chess Executive Board Statement on Russian Federation Invasion of Ukraine
Excerpts:
Checkmate: Russia's War on Ukraine Fractures Tight-Knit World of Chess
"We are for peace. Stop the war!" read a written appeal to President Vladimir Putin signed by 34 Russian grandmasters – including world championship runner-up Ian Nepomniachtchi.
FIDE chief [Arkady] Dvorkovich is under pressure because he has had close ties with the Kremlin in the past. The 49-year old was part of Russia's political elite until 2018. The economist, who is considered liberal, was Russia's chief negotiator at G-8 meetings and deputy prime minister for six years. ...
From Yahoo News online:
Reuters
Top Ex-Kremlin Official Quits Post After Condemning Ukraine War
[he did not quit as FIDE President]
March 18, 2022
Excerpts:
...Arkady Dvorkovich, deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2018, became one of Russia's most senior establishment figures to question the war when he told U.S. media this week that his thoughts were with Ukrainian civilians.
His comments prompted a senior ruling party lawmaker to demand that he be fired and to accuse him of being part of a "fifth column" undermining Russia.
The 49-year old had been chairman since 20187 of the Skolkovo Foundation, an innovation and technology hub on the outskirts of Moscow that brands itself as a kind of Russian Silicon Valley.
On Friday, the Skolkovo Foundation said in a statement that Dvorkovich had decided to step down. He could not be reached immediately for comment. He remains president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Igor Shuvalov, chairman of the foundation's board of directors, said Dvorkovich had resigned, saying that he could no longer combine his duties at Skolkovo with his responsibilities at FIDE under the current circumstances. ...
From The New York Times (online):
Chess Distances Itself From Russia
By Michael LevensonMarch 3, 2022 (updated March 4, 2022)
Excerpts:
... Over the last several days, the International Chess Federation, the game's global governing body, has criticized the war, cut ties with Belarusian and Russian sanctioned or state-controlled companies, and canceled events in Russia and Belarus, including the 44th Chess Olympiad, which was scheduled to begin in Moscow in July.
The federation, known as FIDE, also forbade Russian and Belarusian players from flying their countries' flags at events and referred two Russian grandmasters who have supported the war, Sergey Karjakin and Sergei Shipov, to an internal disciplinary commission that could disqualify them from tournaments. ...
Please note:
On February 26, 2022 US Chess has established a GoFundMe campaign to assist suffering Ukrainian chess players. The Kasparov Chess Foundation has seeded the campaign with a generous $10,000 commitment.
Goddesschess is a small operation and can't afford to donate $10,000, but we did donate $100 to help support Ukrainian chessplayers. May the Chess Goddess bless them and keep them all safe, and end this horrific war.
