Kirill Kaprizov Reportedly Wanted in Russia for Providing False Military Exemption

After news broke of Ivan Fedotov & his detainment in Russia, many Russian NHLers were put on notice for potential military service. Well, news broke today that Minnesota Wild star F Kirill Kaprizov is reportedly wanted in Russia for providing fraudulent military IDs:


Andrew Zadarnowski reports that Kaprizov, upon hearing of Fedotov's situation returned to the United States so as to avoid following in the 6'8'' goalie's footsteps. This situation is insane. First a prospective NHL goalie is detained, now presently contracted superstar Kirill Kaprizov is apparently in danger of falling prey to the Russian government. The issue of dodging military service is reprehensible in any country, but one cannot help but feel for these players. Russia is in the process of violating the Geneva Convention in Ukraine, and given the choice between playing in the NHL or partaking in war crimes, what would anyone choose? It is well within reason why Fedotov, Kaprizov & likely dozens of other high-profile Russian athletes would seek to dodge service in the Russian military in 2022.

Michael Russo, resident Wild reporter for The Athletic, responded to Zadarnowski's initial report, indicating that Kaprizov is not in the US at this time & is working to substantiate the information:



The Wild, and surely the NHL, are monitoring the situation for now, but imagine if the Russian government starts blackballing any & all Russian athletes who might possess falsified military exemptions. Not to mention the possibility that the veracity of these charges are false, and the Russian government simply wants their prized athletes in Russia, serving Russian purposes. Simply put; if the Russian government isn't benefitting from their services, no one can.

I can't express enough how insane this storyline is. Today Kaprizov, tomorrow who's next? If the Russian government is telling the truth, and there are indeed players who have obtained false exemptions, how deep does the rabbit hole go? Expect more clarity on this story & related incidents over the summer, as I don't anticipate this just blowing over.