Following the widely condemned invasion of Ukraine, the International Olympic Committee urged all remaining events due to be held in Russia and its ally Belarus to be moved and for the countries' flags and anthems to be banned from the sporting stage.

Kazan had been set to host the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships from August 23 to 28, but this has now been cancelled.

This year's World Swimming Championships (25m) are scheduled from December 17 to 22 in the Russian city.

While the Championships were not directly referenced in FINA's statement, the International Federation added that it "will not be holding any future events in Russia if this grave crisis continues".

FINA said it "remains extremely concerned with the continuing war in Ukraine", and had taken the decision to cancel the World Junior Swimming Championships "following ongoing consultation with athletes and stakeholders from the aquatics family".

"FINA reiterates its pledge to provide whatever practical support it can to members of the aquatics family who are impacted by this situation and expresses its deepest sympathies and support to the people of Ukraine," a statement concluded.

The International Federation had cancelled April's Artistic Swimming and Diving World Series events in Kazan on Friday (February 25), and said that future competitions scheduled to be held in Russia were being kept "under close review".

The Ukrainian Swimming Federation has urged FINA to "immediately suspend Russia and Belarus from all aquatic sports until their Governments end military aggression against Ukraine, restore respect for the principles of international law and Ukrainian athletes can participate in sporting events on equal terms".

Nine Presidents of the Nordic Swimming Federations vowed to boycott the World Junior Swimming Championships, World Swimming Championships (25m) and any other events held in Russia or Belarus.

They also insisted that "until this situation is resolved, Russia and Belarus should not take part in international aquatics at any level".

Russia has been stripped of hosting major sports events since launching a three-pronged military offensive on Ukraine.

The UEFA Champions League final in Saint Petersburg has been moved to Paris, while the SportAccord World Sport and Business Summit in Yekaterinburg has been cancelled.

Hundreds have been killed in the conflict and many thousands more dispersed.

Russian forces have entered Ukraine's second city Kharkiv, while an oil depot near the capital Kyiv was bombed overnight.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has imposed martial law and urged citizens to take up arms to fight the invasion.