Lokomotiv Moscow defender Cesar Montes wants to leave the Russian club after refusing to travel to away games over fears for his life.
According to Russian sports reporter Ivan Karpov, writing on his Telegram channel, the Mexico international told team management that he will not travel with the squad for away matches. Karpov reported that Montes informed club officials he fears for his personal safety in Russia and wants to end his spell with the team.
The defender made his decision after a train carrying the Lokomotiv team was attacked by a Ukrainian drone on October 25 in the Voronezh region of south-western Russia. The squad was travelling back to Moscow following a Russian Premier League match against FC Rostov in Rostov-on-Don.
None of the players or club staff members were injured as a result of the attack. However, the incident left Montes unwilling to make further journeys across the country, prompting his decision to notify management of his refusal to travel and his desire to depart.
Drone attack in Voronezh
The attack took place in the Voronezh region, an administrative territory situated south of Moscow. Long-distance rail journeys have become standard for Russian Premier League teams travelling to fixtures in the south of the country, where commercial airspace has remained restricted and regional airports have stayed closed to civil aviation since early 2022.
Lokomotiv had travelled south to Rostov-on-Don, a major regional centre near the Sea of Azov, for their league fixture against FC Rostov. The squad was returning to the capital on the rail line through Voronezh when the drone struck the train.
Contract and international career
Montes has played for Lokomotiv since 2024, having agreed a contract that runs until the summer of 2029. The centre-back moved to Moscow following spells in Spain, where he played in La Liga for both Espanyol and Almeria after starting his senior career in Mexico with Monterrey.
The defender is an established figure for the Mexico national team, having won the CONCACAF Gold Cup and represented his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. His transfer to Russia made him one of the highest-profile foreign players in the league.
Lokomotiv Moscow, historically linked to the national railway network, is one of Russia's most prominent football clubs, with three Russian Premier League championships and nine domestic cup titles. Under the contract signed upon his arrival in 2024, Montes remains tied to the capital club through the summer of 2029.
