Lichess Statement on the War in Ukraine

Why are you disliking everything @agnivo2008 without even sharing your mind ?

@e4 said in #19:
> Lichess is not, and never has been apolitical. A free software, open source website, rejecting all adverts, trackers, and other self-imposed restrictions, is a message in itself.

Good point. Let me clarify my comment.

Dear Lichess administrators,
Please stay apolitical, especially with regards to geopolitics, but except of course with regards to the broad matters of libre software and libre culture.

There were many guys who were wanting proper response from Lichess, now this blog is gonna shut their mouths.
And yes, nothing new and everything is exactly same I hoped for that not every Russian is responsible for this war as many in fact are against it.
Thanks Lichess for all this.
We are all in this together!
#JusticeForUkraine

I do not support this war at all. I am by your side lichess, and keep this up!

Great staff!

Whatabout USA players?

Afghanistan 1998, 2001-
Bosnia 1994, 1995
Cambodia 1969-70
China 1945-46
Congo 1964
Cuba 1959-1961
El Salvador 1980s
Korea 1950-53
Guatemala 1954, 1960, 1967-69
Indonesia 1958 Laos 1964-73
Grenada 1983
Iraq 1991-2000s, 2015-
Iran 1987
Korea 1950-53
Kuwait 1991
Lebanon 1983, 1984
Libya 1986, 2011-
Nicaragua 1980s
Pakistan 2003, 2006- Palestine 2010
Panama 1989
Peru 1965
Somalia 1993, 2007-08, 2010-
Sudan 1998
Syria 2014-
Vietnam 1961-73
Yemen 2002, 2009-
Yugoslavia 1999

I hope Mr Karjakin and others will suffer from that

I'm very proud of this site.

And this is an important part here: "Lichess will not block or ban anyone with a Russian or Belarusian IP address. Whilst Russia muzzles press freedoms and tries to shut itself off from the rest of the world, we believe chess to be inclusive, and that needlessly isolating people from the rest of the digital world will only foment echo chambers. In some small way, Lichess can help prevent this from occurring"

Especially given the fact that chess24 and chess.com are acting in fashions worse then Putin with their censorship.

Putin has now threatened to unplug his country from the internet this Friday. I don't know if he will really do it but it speaks volumes to how important it is to keep the dialogue open for the Russian people. I am glad that Lichess has made their position clear.

Please, respect Russian and Bielorussian Lichess users. They are not responsible for the actions of their governments. I've read nasty comments in the chat of some Lichess Tournaments.

Ok - we must accept this decisions. But everyone here can do more in private behaviour. So my opinion: In these days Russian (or even Belorussian) flag is a flag of blood - blood of Ukrainian children, women, old People... killed by Russian soldiers - so every Russian should feel a lot of shame to show this. - I will not play against players with this flag; every brave human chessplayer should choose Ukrainian flag for Solidarity with Ukrainian heroic fight for Freedom and democracy! Slawa Ukrajini!!!