Video Shows Russian Tennis Star Writing 'No War Please' on Camera

A video posted on social media captured the moment Russian tennis star, Andrey Rublev, wrote "No war please" on the camera following a win on Friday.

"World #7 tennis player Andrey Rublev of Russia writes "No war please" on a camera following his win in Dubai," The Recount Twitter account wrote as a caption to the video.

Another photo posted by The Tennis Podcast Twitter account captured another view of the message that was left by Rublev.

Rublev, who is currently ranked as the seventh-best male tennis player in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), wrote the message following his win over Hubert Hurkacz of Poland in the Dubai Championships semifinal match.

The writing by Rublev comes a day after thousands of Russian citizens were arrested on Thursday for protesting the country's invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" in Ukraine, prompting thousands of troops to travel into the adjacent nation.

While military troops traveled into Ukraine, Russian residents took to the streets to show their opposition to a war. According to data from OVD-Info, a human rights organization that is actively tracking the number of protest arrests, there have been over 1,800 Russian residents arrested as of Friday morning across 60 different cities.

Several photos and videos posted across social media showed thousands of Russian citizens protesting the invasion of Ukraine.

Following the ongoing protests, Russia's Investigative Committee issued a statement warning residents that it is illegal to "organize and conduct unauthorized events."

"Reacting to provocative calls, it is necessary to keep in mind the negative legal consequences of these actions in the form of liability up to criminal," the statement said. "The law provides for severe punishment for organizing mass riots, as well as for resisting law enforcement officers."

In addition to Russian residents, several world leaders also condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who called the actions "unprovoked and unjustified."

"This is a premeditated attack. Vladimir Putin has been planning this for months as we've been saying all along. He moved more than 175,000 troops military equipment in positions along the Ukrainian border and moved blood supplies into position and build field hospitals. Which tells you all you need to know about his intentions all along," Biden said on Thursday. "Putin is the aggressor. Putin chose this war, and now he and his country will bear the consequences."

Newsweek reached out to the ATP for comment on Rublev's actions but did not receive a response in time for publication.