Ukraine's sports minister has called Fifa president Gianni Infantino 'irresponsible' and 'infantile' for saying that world football's governing body will look at lifting a ban on Russia.
Russian national teams and clubs were suspended from all competitions by Fifa and Uefa in February 2022 after the country's invasion of Ukraine.
With the war still ongoing, Infantino has said 'this ban has not achieved anything' and 'has just created more frustration and hatred'.
He added: 'Having girls and boys from Russia being able to play football games in other parts of Europe would help.'
In response, Ukraine sports minister Matvii Bidnyi said in a social media post 'Gianni Infantino's words sound irresponsible - not to say infantile. They detach football from the reality in which children are being killed.'
'Let me remind you that since the start of Russia's full-scale aggression, more than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russians. Among them were more than one hundred footballers.'
Infantino was awarded the Russian Order of Friendship medal by president Vladimir Putin after Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.
However, since Russia's ban, they have been unable to compete at the 2022 World Cup and Uefa's Euro 2024 and will not be part of the 2026 World Cup.
Russia has not completely stopped playing international football as they have played matches against non-Western nations without needing the permission of Fifa or Uefa.
'War is a crime, not politics,' added Bidnyi. 'It is Russia that politicizes sport and uses it to justify aggression. As long as Russians continue killing Ukrainians and politicizing sport, their flag and national symbols have no place among people who respect values such as justice, integrity and fair play.'
Last year, Ukraine criticized the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) decision to lift a ban on athletes from Russia and its close ally Belarus, stating that the flags represent bloodshed.
