Ukraine's Euro 2020 kit featuring Crimea causes outrage in Russia

The Ukrainian national football team's Euro 2020 kit, which is emblazoned with a map of the country that includes Crimea, has caused outrage in Russia.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Moscow considers the peninsula part of Russia but it is internationally recognized as part of Ukraine.

Ukraine's new kit was unveiled Sunday, days before the European Championship kicks off, on the Facebook page of the head of the Football Association of Ukraine, Andriy Pavelko.

The front of the yellow shirt shows the borders of Ukraine in white. A slogan at the top of the back reads "Glory to Ukraine!" Inside the shirt is a slogan that declares "Glory to the heroes!"

Both phrases are used in Ukraine as an official military greeting.

Russian parliamentary deputy Dmitry Svishchev was quoted by Russian news agency RIA as saying the shirt design was "a political provocation." He said showing a map of Ukraine "which includes a Russian territory is illegal."

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on social media that the slogans on the shirts were nationalistic and that the slogan "Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!" echoed a German Nazi rallying cry.

Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Kyiv waded into the issue and posted a Twitter message in support of the new kit Monday. “Love the new look. Glory to Ukraine! #CrimeaisUkraine,” it wrote.

Relations between Moscow and Kyiv deteriorated sharply after the annexation of Crimea and the start of a Russian-backed separatist rebellion in eastern Ukraine in 2014.

Ukraine plays its opening Euro 2020 match against the Netherlands on June 13 in Amsterdam, and also faces Austria and North Macedonia in Group C.

Russia takes on Belgium in St. Petersburg on June 12, and also faces Denmark and Finland in Group B.