Infantino received the Order of Friendship with Russia from President Vladimir Putin after Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup.
However, Russia’s ban will prevent them from competing in the 2022 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, while Russia will also miss out on the 2026 World Cup.
Russia has not completely suspended national soccer matches as it has played against non-Western countries without permission from FIFA or UEFA.
“War is not politics, it is crime,” Bidnyi added. “It is Russia that politicizes sports and uses it to justify aggression.
“I share the position of the Ukrainian Football Association, which warns against Russia’s return to international competitions.
“As long as the Russians continue to kill Ukrainians and politicize sports, their flag and national symbols have no place among those who respect values like justice, integrity and fair play.”
Last year, Ukraine criticized the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to lift a ban on athletes from Belarus, a close ally of Russia.
Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee said the IPC had allowed Russia and Belarus to “hoist their flags drenched in the blood of hundreds of thousands of people.”
Paralympic athletes from Russia and Belarus will not compete at next month’s Winter Paralympic Games despite the IPC lifting their ban.
Although the IPC oversees the Olympics, there are four separate governing bodies responsible for the six events held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Three government agencies decided to maintain the ban on players from both countries, and although Russia and Belarus can now compete in ice hockey matches, the decision was too late for them to participate in the qualifiers.
