"To live in comfort": Russian Olympic champion says foreigners are massively attracted to Russia

Olympic ice hockey champion Valery Kamensky spoke with undisguised pathos about the allegedly incredibly high standard of living in Russia, which attracts foreign athletes. The Stanley Cup winner welcomed the desire of Canadian SKA forward Brendan Lipsic to become a Russian citizen, for which he even wrote a letter to Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin.

Kamensky said this in a comment to Sport24. The former USSR and Russian forward was ecstatic about Lipsik's decision, emphasising that the Canadian took the step not because of hockey or a change in his status in the St Petersburg team, but because of comfort in the aggressor country.

"I can only congratulate hockey players like Lipsic. I think it's not even about hockey, it's about the country. Russia attracts many foreigners to work and live in comfort. And this is only a plus for our hockey and the KHL! We are only too happy to welcome Canadians, Americans and Europeans who want to obtain Russian citizenship. The procedure is too complicated to circumvent the limit. I think it's all about the standard of living in Russia. Many foreigners like it here, so they choose their future in Russia," Kamensky said.

Earlier, Finnish hockey player Janne Laakkonen shared his memories of playing in Russia, being surprised by the widespread alcoholism and fear of Russians before their superiors.

As OBOZREVATEL reported earlier, a loud scandal in world hockey erupted over CSKA Moscow goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov. The 26-year-old vice-champion of the 2022 Olympics was forcibly drafted into military service last July.

In a recent interview, Fedotov admitted that he was literally counting down the days until he could demobilise from the Russian army.

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