Ukrainian parliament speaker calls for boycott of 2018 World Cup in Russia

The speaker said this while opening a morning plenary meeting of parliament on Friday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The 2018 FIFA World Cup will begin in Russia next week, on June 14. The championship should have become a great sporting holiday for all football fans. However, unfortunately, this year it takes place in Russia, which continues aggression against Ukraine, against Georgia and against Moldova. I call on all countries of the free world and their citizens to boycott the World Cup in Russia," Parubiy said.

At the same time, the speaker warned Ukrainians and citizens of civilized countries against traveling to Russia, because, according to him, there is a real danger "to be captured by Russian terrorists."

As reported, the World Cup in Russia will be held from June 14 to July 15, 2018. Matches will be hosted by Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Saransk, Rostov-on-Don, Ekaterinburg, and Sochi.

Earlier, FIFA did not give permission to open official fan zones of the World Cup in Russian-occupied Crimea.