The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ordered the Russian Chess Federation to cease all chess activity in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol, as well as parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions, the Ukrainian Ministry of Youth and Sports press service said on Facebook on Friday.

"This decision is an important signal: international sport recognizes Ukraine’s sovereignty and does not allow Russia to extend its control over Ukrainian territories through sports institutions. If the Russian Chess Federation fails to comply, the International Chess Federation, FIDE, must suspend its membership for three years," the ministry said.

"We congratulate the Ukrainian Chess Federation on this principled victory," the ministry’s press service added.