Ukraine’s four time champion of the world in draughts has jumped ship to Russia by decree of President Vladimir Putin.
Darya Tkatchenko, 32, who was born in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, was granted Russian citizenship by presidential decree on Thursday and will represent Russia from now on.
The Kremlin granted several more foreign sports competitors Russian citizenship this week, including Ukrainian-born rhythmic gymnast, Eleonora Romanova and her mother. Romanova was born in Ukraine’s Luhansk region, where, like Donetsk, pro-Russian separatists have clashed with Ukrainian armed forces and have held territory near the Russian border since 2014.
Source: Newsweek
