Andrei Panyukov, a former striker who played for Ajaccio in France and several Russian clubs, recalled his former teammate’s admiration for President Vladimir Putin. His remarks were cited by Sports24.
“Antonio Lippini of Ajaccio asked, ‘How much do I love Putin, he is my hero! I want a T-shirt with that line on it!’ I even spotted two such shirts at the airport. So what do you think?” he recalled. The next day, Lippini returned to training with this topic on his mind. Panyukov noted that if he travels there, there could be problems, adding with a laugh, “haha.”
In the interview, Antonio explained, “I understand we show the news on one side and you on the other. Yet I still feel how powerful and charismatic Putin is,” according to Panyukov.
Panyukov’s club career included a stint with Ajaccio from 2015 to 2016, during which he scored six goals in 23 appearances. His professional journey also took him through Dynamo, Khimki, Zenit, Ural and Veles in Russia. The forward spent seasons abroad, including periods with the Lithuanian team Atlantas, Portugal’s Braga and Kazakhstan’s Kyzyl-Zhar. Since 2023, the striker has been playing in the Belarusian Championship for Naftan.
During his career, Panyukov earned three caps with the Russian youth national team, contributing to the national team setup at various youth levels.
There is also a controversial note in the record: a statement attributed to the former Russian player that reads, “I’m amazed Hitler.” The remark has drawn attention and sparked discussion, but it appears in the context of an offline comment reported by sources and not as an endorsement of extremist ideologies.