Ethereum's Russian-born co-founder Vitalik Buterin slams Kremlin calling Ukraine invasion 'a crime'
Vitalik Buterin, the Russian-Canadian co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain, railed against Russian president Vladimir Putin and the invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, condemning it as a "crime against the Ukrainian and Russian people".
Taking to Twitter minutes after Putin announced he had ordered a "special military operation" in eastern Ukraine and various media reports of explosions in cities across the former Soviet republic, Buterin posted that he was "very upset" about the Kremlin's decision.
There have been reports of up to 40 fatalities so far, according to an advisor of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following early morning attacks by Russian armed and naval forces, with cities including the capital Kyiv being targeted.
"Very upset by Putin's decision to abandon the possibility of a peaceful solution to the dispute with Ukraine and go to war instead. This is a crime against the Ukrainian and Russian people," he tweeted.
"I want to wish everyone security, although I know that there will be no security. Glory to Ukraine".
He subsequently tweeted that while Ethereum was unbiased, he was not.
Buterin has been vocal in his opposition to escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine, tweeting earlier this month that he hoped the Kremlin would "chose wisely" in its course of action over Ukraine.
"An attack on Ukraine can only harm Russia, Ukraine and humanity," he posted.
"Whether the situation will return to a peaceful path or there will be a war can now be decided not by Zelensky, not by NATO, but by @KremlinRussia. I hope they choose wisely".
The 28-year-old, who co-founded Ethereum in 2014 after becoming interested in Bitcoin in his teens, is so far one of the only prominent business leaders to condemn a Russian
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