Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko has stated “no one will ever appropriate” Ukraine, as fears grow of war between his homeland and Russia. The utility player, who captained Ukraine at Euro 2020, spoke out after Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, stated he recognised the Russian-controlled territories in east-Ukraine, Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. This has increased fears of a wider invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Zinchenko, who played for Russian club Ufa before joining City in July 2016, has responded with a defiant message on his Instagram page. “My country belongs to Ukrainians and no one will ever be able to appropriate it,” the 25-year-old said. “We will not give it away. I can’t stand back and [not] put my point across. The whole civilised world is concerned about the situation in my country. The country in which I was born and raised and of which the colours of I defend [represent] in the international sports arena. The country we are trying to glorify and develop. A country whose borders must remain intact.” Zinchenko made his debut for Ukraine in 2015 and has 48 caps.