Ex‑footballer Savin slammed by Russians for 'selling out' to America after controversial video

From the onset of the conflict, Yevgeny Savin could not tolerate Russia's actions in the war initiated by Vladimir Putin in Ukraine. The most compelling evidence of this was a video he uploaded online, triggering anger among his fellow Russians.

As soon as Savin realized the war had begun (while he was in Norway at the time), he communicated with his wife via a brief message.

-"The moment I learned of the situation, I called my wife and said: 'get the children ready, we're leaving. We can't reside in a country that instigates war and bombs cities. Nothing positive can arise for us here anymore.' By February 26, we had already relocated to Turkey," he explained in an interview with WP SportoweFakty.

Returning to his previously mentioned video, Savin spoke with renowned Ukrainian footballers and shared images from Ukraine, expressing his candid views. The video was posted online on April 18, 2022.

The video caused quite a stir in Russia upon its release, and Savin became a target of national hatred. He has now shared a typical message he receives from Russians online.

"You were once a regular guy and a footballer, who played for Krylia, Amkar, and others. Now you're a blogger who's turned away from Russia. I take pride in defending my country from evil spirits and neo-Nazis. We will triumph. You, however, have sold out to America and NATO" - this is the message he shared.

"My favorite section. Scrolling through direct messages. Thanks for your opinion. Please do write more," Savin responded.

It should be noted that Savin represented various football clubs throughout his career, such as Anzhi Makhachkala, Amkar Perm, and Krylia Sovetov, among others. He was also a member of the Russian national team until the age of 21. He played six matches and scored three goals.

Savin ended his career in 2015, initially working as a sports reporter and TV commentator after retirement. In 2018, he decided to launch his own YouTube channel, which currently has 1.1 million subscribers.

Even at 39, Savin hasn't left the world of football. Currently, he serves as the president of a club in the Cypriot Second League.