“I’m proud to be Russian.” The ex-Zenith operator speaking in Germany focused on the military special operation in Ukraine – June 26, 2022
Bayer goalkeeper Andrei Lunev in an interviewIzvestia”Told why he decided to delete the account from the social network, and speculated about the events in Ukraine, where Russia chose a special military battery. Also, the former goalkeeper of Zenit told if he faced Russophobia in Germany.
– In mid-March, you publicly announced the closure of your Instagram account (recognized as an extremist group, activity on the territory of the Russian Federation is prohibited) due to the fact that this social network is allowed to call for violence against the military. In Germany, was it unusual for this act of yours?
— Yes, a normal working conversation took place. I explained everything, I am sure that this is not a normal situation. He gave an example of the leadership of Bayer: “Imagine, imagine that for some reason they will be allowed to call for the killing of Germans. This is fine?” The management said: “Andrey, we understand you. Did you just see it? – “Well, yes”. This ended the conversation. He was absolutely calm, even friendly. It seems to me that every citizen of his country is proud that he was born and raised in it. I don’t rule it out. I’m proud to be Russian. Whatever heals, this is my homeland. No matter what kind of power is in the country, what kind of president, chancellor, king or queen.
Do you distance yourself from politics?
– Heads of any problem solution. I don’t know much about the police. I can read or look at some information, learn something from friends, learn and draw conclusions. But, not naturally the whole situation, you can not make a fence. Yes, the fact that people are dying is like a knife to the heart. That’s what I can say for sure, especially when it happens between Russia and Ukraine. I always believed that Russia, Ukraine, Belarus are one people. Yes, we were divided geographically. And each of us has our own customs. But in general, people are the same.
– What were your emotions in the first days of all the events?
— I was injured. And for two weeks I practically did not sleep, I watched and could not understand what was happening. On the day of five hours back rehab, the rest of the time I watched what was happening. Called up with familiar, ongoing events. Constantly different information. Each person spoke his own.
The fact that people are dying – both Russians and Ukrainians – I categorically do not like. We are told one thing, they are told another. Where is the truth? This is a matter of trust. Someone trusts the TV, someone – the Internet, and someone only their eyes. If it includes critical thinking, then each time it draws its own conclusions. I don’t speak out because I don’t understand it. But the death of young children, civilians, depresses me.
At the same time, this happens not only in Ukraine. For some reason, many things are forgotten, hushed up. But if you look objectively, then there are a lot of such things where usually. But it doesn’t happen that widely. Now, apparently, it is beneficial to discuss only Russia and Ukraine. The whole world is exaggerating only this.
– Have you experienced Russophobia in Germany, which is talked about a lot in social networks?
– Judging by ourselves and our family, we do not feel any Russophobia on ourselves. From the word “absolutely”. At the same time, I drive around Germany in a car with state numbers, so not finding this was not necessary.
And after all the events there was a large influx of cars with Ukrainian numbers. There were a lot of Ukrainian children with their mothers on the site. And no problem. My wife and I tried to visit girls. We ourselves have a child, and it was hard to watch how the children of Ukrainian accelerations who came to Germany live. Couldn’t get past this. They donated toys, diapers, clothes for children. Not directly, through a person from an organization that provides assistance and delivers things in need. In general, the possibilities, as best they could.