Putin’s friend Anatoly Karpov: – Rumors abound:

There have been reports recently that one of the greatest chess players of all time, Anatoly Karpov, was taken to the hospital after a fall.

Karpov, now a member of the Russian Communist Party, is said to have been injured after falling outside the parliament building in Moscow.

The 71-year-old has long been friends with Vladimir Putin and has on several occasions advocated the current invasion of Ukraine, as well as the invasion of Crimea in 2014.

So it came as a big surprise to many when it was said that Karpov demanded an end to the war in a statement.

– I hope the war ends so that the pacifists do not die. I am not talking about soldiers and officers. I never would have imagined that the Russians and Ukrainians would go to war, Karpov reportedly told Kazakh television.

creates feedback

conflicting reports

Many media, including major newspapers The New York Times, discussed Karpov’s alleged fall outside the parliament building in Moscow. But the stories are as different as they are many.

• Andrei Kovalev claims in his Telegram account that Karpov fell into an artificial coma after an attack.
• Karpov’s daughter confirmed that her father was in a coma, but that it was not an attack.
• Karpov’s wife told the Russian sports newspaper in an interview Sports Express That the former world champion was at home and that everything was fine with him.

The great Russian teacher Serge Karjakin also threw himself. The man who was beaten by Magnus Carlsen at the 2016 World Chess Championship, among others Since the Russian invasion has achieved horrific results about their views on the war.

– Responds to attacks

Among other things, he ended up in an open conflict with the International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Karjakin told the Russian state-owned media about the alleged downfall of Karpov:

– I keep in touch with those around him. The situation is difficult, of course, because it was an unfortunate downfall. He has been taken to hospital, but doctors say things are progressing, Karjakin told Izvestija – the newspaper that is the mouthpiece of the Communist Party.

also WorldChess.com He mentioned the case. They write that Karpov must have fallen and suffered head injuries.

Strong warning

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Arne Bord Dalhaug does not know the details of the Karpov case, but he points to previous incidents where Russian leaders were injured and killed after speaking out critical of Putin’s war.

We can divide people who have been attacked into three categories, says Dalhaug.

• Those who defected to the West.
• Those who are internally opposed.
• journalists.

– If it turns out that Karpov was attacked, I think it is intended as a warning. There has been a long line of people who have expressed themselves critically, Dalhaug tells Dagbladet, who have been mysteriously wounded.

As mentioned earlier, conflicting messages must come within the family.

– It may have something to do with what they dare say. It is a strong warning to the family. He thinks that if he had a serious injury, they might have been told to be careful.