Grandmaster Sergei Shipov, who was also under investigation for supporting his country’s invasion of Ukraine, was found not guilty by the governing body’s Ethics and Disciplinary Commission.

Both Shipov and Karjakin took to social media in recent weeks to defend Russia’s actions.

The ban means Karjakin is not expected to compete in the Candidates Tournament, final contest to determine the challenger for the World Chess Championship, from June 16 to July 7 this year.

He has 21 days to appeal the decision.

"Sergey Karjakin is found guilty of breach of article 2.2.10 of the FIDE Code of Ethics, and is sanctioned to a worldwide ban of six months from participating as a player in any FIDE rated chess competition, taking effect from the date of this decision, 21 March 2022," the FIDE statement read.

"The statements by Sergey Karjakin on the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine has led to a considerable number of reactions on social media and elsewhere, to a large extent negative towards the opinions expressed by Sergey Karjakin."

The reason behind why Shipov did not receive a punishment was because Commission believed the comments he made were different in power and provocation.

"In comparison with Sergey Karjakin, Sergei Shipov is considerably less known and has, therefore, a less powerful platform," the FIDE ruled.

"The statements made by Sergei Shipov are also of a slightly different and less provocative character than the ones made by Karjakin.

“In an overall evaluation of the potential negative impact on the game of chess and/or FIDE, the EDC Chamber is not sufficiently convinced that Sergei Shipov’s statements qualify as a breach of article 2.2.10."

Karjakin won the Candidates Tournament and the World Blitz in 2016, as well as the World Cup in the previous year.

The 32-year-old, born in the annexed Crimean capital of Simferopol and who represented Ukraine until 2009, hit out at the FIDE’s decision for failing to keep sport out of politics.

"An expected, but no less shameful decision by FIDE,” he said.

"All sports selections have been trampled, the basic principle that sport is out of politics has been trampled.

"Most importantly, first of all I am a patriot of my country and only second of all I am an athlete.

"If I thought back to the situation when I supported the President of Russia, the people and the army I would have done the same thing! I don’t regret anything."

Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Chess Federation, has called for a review to reverse the decision after declaring that no Russian citizen should be deprived of having their view punished.

"We regret in this regard, we call on FIDE to reconsider this decision and still remain out of politics, thereby confirming the international prestige of this international chess organisation," he said.

"Of course, we do not agree with such a decision."

The 12-time world champion Anatoly Karpov also rebuked the sanction.

He told Russia's official state news agency TASS that chess’ leaders are damaging the sport and repeated a phrase from Russia’s 10-time world chess champion, Boris Spassky.

"What can I say... They should have not only suspended Sergei for six months, but also kept him in a pre-trial detention centre all this time," Karpov told TASS.

"These people are ruining the chess movement, and I can only say in the words of Spassky: insanity grew stronger."

Earlier this month, Russia’s FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich admitted it was now "impossible" to keep sport and politics separate.

The FIDE Council agreed to allow players from Russia and Belarus to participate under its flag until May 31 this year and to move the World Chess Olympiad from Chennai.

Competitors from the two countries will need to submit a new request to continue as neutrals after May 1.