KARYAKIN Sergey Alexandrovich

A russian sports and government official who is part of the russian federation’s state apparatus and exerts direct influence on internal and external processes in russian sports.
He actively supported russia’s invasion of Ukraine and also published an open letter on Instagram in support of putin.
He also supported the annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine. After the annexation of Crimea, he posted a photo on Instagram of himself wearing a T-shirt featuring a portrait of putin and the slogan "We don’t abandon our own".
After the russian federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he publicly supported the actions of the russian leadership. In March 2022, the FIDE Ethics and Disciplinary Commission suspended him for six months from participating in competitions organized by the federation due to public statements regarding russia’s war against Ukraine, which "damaged the reputation of chess and FIDE".
During the 2018 and 2024 presidential elections, he served as one of putin’s authorized representatives and was a member of the "putin’s Team" initiative group tasked with nominating him as a candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
In 2022, he joined the central headquarters of the All-russian "People’s Front" movement. In September 2022, he took part in the "We Don’t Abandon Our Own!" rally, organized by the People’s Front in support of referendums on the annexation to russia of the so-called DPR/LPR and territories in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions and also supported an initiative to raise funds for the military of the so-called DPR.
In 2025, as part of the "People’s front" New Year’s fundraiser, he called for support for servicemen on the front lines, the organizers planned to use the funds raised to purchase drones, sights, drone detectors, heating equipment, and warm clothing. As part of another fundraiser, Karyakin, together with the "People’s front" announced a fundraiser for assault units carrying out combat missions on the front lines.
Karyakin was a member of the so-called "propaganda brigade" of russian public figures who were enlisted to speak before military personnel with the aim of "boosting their morale". The activities of this "propaganda brigade" are linked to the ANO "Integration" and information projects aimed at promoting the agenda desired by the russian authorities.
Through the Sergey Karjakin Chess Clubs and the Moscow region Chess Federation, which he controls, he is implementing the international project "Chess Diplomacy in russian Homes" in collaboration with Rossotrudnichestvo. As part of the project, tournaments, meetings, master classes, and the opening of chess clubs are held in countries across Asia, Africa, and South America, and Karyakin positions the project itself as a tool for humanitarian cooperation and the establishment of international ties.
He is also implementing a project in collaboration with the "United russia" party and the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Foundation to organize an all-russian chess tournament for veterans of the so-called special military operation called "Chess for Our Own."
In 2026, he appeared in a campaign video for the "United russia" party ahead of the state duma elections.
In 2022, he was awarded the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the fatherland," 2nd class.
He regularly visits the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.