Flames’ Russian defenceman Nikita Zadorov speaks out against Putin, war in Ukraine
By The Canadian Press on September 22, 2023.
Calgary Flames defenceman Nikita Zadorov has spoken out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and says he and other Russians in the NHL couldn’t come to an agreement on what to say about it. Zadorov told reporters in Calgary he can’t return to Russia as long as Vladimir Putin is president and that his parents in Russia don’t share his views. The defenceman also said in Russian in a YouTube interview with English subtitles that NHL players from his country communicated in a group digital chat after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, 2022, and couldn’t agree on what to say. The 28-year-old Zadorov is from Moscow. The Flames selected him in the first round of the 2013 NHL draft. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 22, 2023. 6-5
