Milano-Cortina 2026 · March 6-15
Russia is returning to the Paralympics under its flag.
For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes will compete under the Russian flag and anthem at the Winter Paralympics. The war against Ukraine is ongoing. Among Russia's broader Paralympic teams are approximately 500 war veterans, including soldiers from units linked to the Bucha massacre.
What is happening
- Sep 27, 2025 — IPC General Assembly voted 91-77 to lift Russia's suspension. Full membership restored. [source]
- Dec 2, 2025 — Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ski federation's block on Russian qualification. [source]
- Feb 17, 2026 — IPC confirmed 6 Russian and 4 Belarusian athletes will compete with flag and anthem via bipartite invitations. [source]
- Mar 6, 2026 — Opening ceremony in Verona. Russia walks in the parade of nations with its flag for the first time since Sochi 2014. [source]
Who opposes it
Ukraine (official boycott), UK Sports Minister Lisa Nandy, EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef (boycotting ceremony), Estonia, and a 35-country coalition including France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Italy.
The 6 Russian athletes invited
These athletes received bipartite invitations to compete in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboard. None are former military. TASS source
Alexei Bugaevprofile
Para Alpine Skiing (LW6/8)
Born 1997, Krasnoyarsk. Missing four fingers on right hand. 3-time Paralympic champion — won 5 medals at Sochi 2014 (2 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) at age 16. World Athlete of the Year 2018. Received state decorations from Putin after Beijing 2022.
Varvara Voronchikhinaprofile
Para Alpine Skiing
Born 2002. 2-time World Champion. Won IPC World Cup overall standings. Received state award from Putin in April 2022 — weeks after the Bucha massacre. Named Female Athlete of the Year at 2022 Russian National Sports Awards.
Ivan Golubkovprofile
Para Cross-Country Skiing & Biathlon
Multiple World Champion. 3 Crystal Globes in cross-country, 2 in biathlon. Became World Cup champion at 18, Crystal Globe winner at 20. Missed Sochi 2014 and couldn't qualify for PyeongChang 2018 due to Russia's suspension.
Anastasia Bagiyan
Para Cross-Country Skiing (with guide Sergei Sinyakin)
World Championship medalist in para cross-country skiing.
Dmitry Fadeev
Para Snowboard
Russian para snowboarder selected via bipartite invitation.
Philipp Shebboprofile
Para Snowboard
Russian champion and European champion. Lost his leg in a car accident approximately 13 years ago. Designs custom prosthetic limbs for snowboarding using carbon fiber and titanium alloy.
The 4 Belarusian athletes invited
All in para cross-country skiing (1 male, 3 female).
Russia has confirmed a 23-member delegation including coaches, support staff, and officials.
Why it matters
500 war veterans in Russian Paralympic sport
The 6 invited athletes are not former military. But the Russian Paralympic Committee president Pavel Rozhkov stated in his 2026 New Year's address that approximately 500 participants in the war against Ukraine are in Russian Paralympic teams. The RPC describes channeling military personnel into Paralympic sport as “one of the most important and serious areas of their activities.”
The Suspilne investigation (February 18, 2026) identified and profiled 10 of these veterans. They are in the broader team, reserves, and pipeline — and openly declare Paralympic ambitions.
Tsyden Geninov
Lieutenant, 5th Guards Tank Brigade — the unit that committed atrocities in Bucha. CISM World Champion 2025. Nominated for Russia's best athlete.
Denis Ishbulatov
Lt. Colonel, 106th Airborne Tula Division — participated in the offensive on Kyiv region. Russian Cup winner in shooting.
Anton Bushmakin
Former marine, wounded near Avdiivka. Said in January 2026: "I am ready to compete under my flag, under the anthem, and to win. This is the goal: to get first place at the Paralympics."
Ruslan Ustyuzhin
31st Airborne Brigade. Participated in the battle for Hostomel airport. Aiming for Paralympic sitting volleyball.
The hypocrisy
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from the 2026 Winter Olympics for wearing a helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia. The same Court of Arbitration for Sport that upheld his ban then overturned the ski federation's block on Russian qualification. A Ukrainian was banned for remembering the dead. Russians are welcomed to compete under their flag.
What this normalizes
Allowing Russia to compete under its flag during an ongoing war of aggression signals that there are no lasting consequences for invading a sovereign country. It provides a propaganda victory: Russia can claim the international community has moved on. It sets the precedent for full Russian reinstatement at the LA 2028 Summer Olympics. And it does all of this while the athletes shake hands with the president who ordered the invasion.
Take action
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Not this: “Ban all Russians from sport.”
Say this: “A country waging a war of aggression should not parade under its flag and anthem at the Paralympics. National symbols reward the state, not the athletes.”
Resources
Investigations & evidence
- Suspilne investigation (Ukrainian) — Original investigation by Alla Sadovnyk & Hanna Kalaur identifying 10 war veterans in Russian Paralympic teams (Feb 18, 2026)
- KHPG.org (English) — Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group English-language summary
- Sourced dossier (this site) — All 10 war veteran profiles with military unit details, quotes, and linked sources
- NV.ua (Ukrainian) — Additional coverage of veteran-athlete pipeline
- 24tv.ua / Suspilne (Russian) — Athlete profiles summary
- Comments.ua — Coverage of war veterans in Paralympic teams
IPC decisions & rulings
International news coverage
- Al Jazeera: Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete under own flag
- Kyiv Independent: Competing under national flags
- France 24: Paralympic governing body lifts ban
- Sky Sports: Russia & Belarus to compete under own flag
- ESPN: Russians to compete under own flag
- NBC News: Ukraine to boycott Winter Paralympics
- UNITED24: Athletes cleared to compete under national flags
Government responses
- 35-country joint statement (Finland-led coalition) — France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Canada, Italy, and 29 more
- UK Sports Minister Lisa Nandy: “completely the wrong decision”
- EU Commissioner Glenn Micallef boycotting opening ceremony
The Heraskevych case
Russian state media (self-reporting)
These sources are Russian state-controlled media. They are included because they contain statements by athletes and officials that serve as primary evidence.
- TASS: Six Russian athletes receive invitations
- TASS: Russia confirms 23-member delegation
- TASS: Four of six athletes granted Italian visas
- Izvestia: Six athletes invited to 2026 Paralympics
- Kremlin.ru: Putin meets Paralympic team after Beijing 2022
- Paralymp.ru: War veteran Bondarenko awarded Master of Sport (Feb 2026)
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