Markus Gisdol, the German coach of Russian Premier League football side Lokomotiv Moscow, said on Tuesday that he has resigned from his position in protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The club, however, has insisted he has been sacked.

In a statement published by German newspaper Bild, Gisdol said he had been forced to take action having witnessed what is going on in Ukraine.

“I cannot pursue my calling in a country whose leader is responsible for a war of aggression in the middle of Europe,” the 52-year-old said. “That is not in line with my values, which is why I have resigned from my position as coach with immediate effect.

“I can’t stand on the training ground in Moscow, train the players, demand professionalism and a few kilometres away orders are given that bring great suffering to an entire people. That is my personal decision and I am absolutely convinced of it.”

Lokomotiv, however, took to Twitter to say that Gisdol had been dismissed.

“Markus Gisdol was dismissed from the post of head coach of FC Lokomotiv. The club and the team are working as usual and are concentrating on achieving the maximum results in the upcoming matches,” Lokomotiv said.

Lokomotiv is owned by Russian Railways, which was placed under US sanctions last week. Gisdol was appointed in October by then-sporting director Ralf Rangnick, who is currently the interim manager at Manchester United.

Gisdol, who had previously spent his whole playing and coaching career in Germany, most recently with Cologne, had been in charge for 12 matches.

The development comes a day after Fifa and Uefa jointly suspended Russian teams from all international football. Spartak Moscow, Russia's only side left in European competition, will no longer compete in the Europa League. Lokomotiv were also in the Europa League but finished bottom of their group.

There have been quite a few resignations from Russian football following the country’s attack on Ukraine. Former Liverpool and Ukraine striker Andriy Voronin left his post as assistant coach of Dynamo Moscow and Ukrainian goalkeeper Yaroslav Hodzyur quit another club, Ural Yekaterinburg. Ural’s president told the Tass news agency a second Ukrainian player would also follow.

However, Dynamo’s head coach, Sandro Schwarz, who is also a German, has decided to continue with his job. “I'm not the kind of person to take a ticket and fly away. That’s not me. I feel responsibility and I will be at the club.”

Escape from war

The Russian Premier League is continuing despite the war, while the Ukrainian Premier League was suspended when the invasion began last week. Brazilian players from clubs around Ukraine appealed to their government for help to leave the country.

Ukrainian Premier League side Shakhtar Donetsk have said that their Brazilian players have left the country safely. The players and their families have arrived in Romania.