EditRussian athletes who fought against Ukraine now aspire to compete in the paralympics
Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) President Pavel Rozhkov announced that six Russians had received special bilateral invitations
On 17 February six Russian and four Belarusian athletes were granted permission to participate in the upcoming Paralympic Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy (6-15 March), under their national flags.
This development follows Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych’s public statement the previous day, in which he highlighted that the Russian Paralympic squad includes former military personnel who fought in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The Suspilne investigations team examined the list of approved Russian athletes and identified individuals with military backgrounds tied to the conflict, some of whom openly express ambitions to return to international competition.
Bilateral invitations as an exception
Russia and Belarus were initially excluded from the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Winter Games following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In September 2025, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) lifted restrictions, allowing athletes from both countries to compete under their national flags once again. However, most Russian athletes failed to complete the standard qualification process in time for the 2026 Games.
On the morning of 17 February Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) President Pavel Rozhkov announced that six Russians had received special bilateral invitations. The RPC published the list and statement on its website, and the IPC later confirmed the decision. According to European media citing AFP, Russian and Belarusian athletes will now be treated the same as competitors from other nations.
Bilateral invitations are exceptional arrangements negotiated between the IPC and national committees. Unlike automatic quotas based on rankings and qualifying results, these are granted on a case-by-case basis, often for athletes who have earned points in individual disciplines but fell short of full qualification criteria due to restrictions or other factors.
The approved Russians include:
- Alpine skiing: three-time Paralympic champion Aleksey Bugayev and two-time world champion Varvara Voronchikhina
- Cross-country skiing: multiple world champion Ivan Golubkov, along with world championship medalist Anastasiya Bagiyan and her guide Sergey Sinyakin
- Para snowboarding: Dmitry Faddeev and Philipp Shebbo Monzer
“Yesterday They Were Killing Ukrainians in Ukraine”
Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych – who was disqualified from the 2026 Winter Olympics for wearing a “memory helmet” featuring portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war – posted on Instagram:
“The Russian Paralympic team includes former military personnel. That is, yesterday they were killing Ukrainians in Ukraine, and tomorrow they will continue to do so by spreading Russian propaganda on an international level. We must not allow this.”
Heraskevych’s concerns align with statements from RPC President Pavel Rozhkov. In September 2025, Rozhkov revealed that around 30 participants in the war against Ukraine had joined Russian Paralympic teams. By early 2026, he claimed approximately 500 veterans were involved in various capacities.
Among the six invited athletes, Suspilne found no direct evidence of prior military service in the war. However, several have publicly supported Russia’s actions or engaged in pro-war activities:
- Varvara Voronchikhina received a state award in April 2022 and thanked Vladimir Putin for supporting Russian athletes during their exclusion.
- In 2022 interviews, Ivan Golubkov expressed pessimism about future participation amid the conflict.
- In March 2023, Bugayev, Voronchikhina, and Golubkov received the RPC’s “Return to Life” award.
During the ceremony, Rozhkov noted that Paralympians, including those with prior combat experience in Chechnya, Afghanistan, and South Ossetia, have actively supported wounded soldiers since the start of Russia’s “special military operation” (the official Russian term for the war in Ukraine), visiting hospitals, sharing rehabilitation experiences, and conducting adaptive sports masterclasses.
The RPC actively recruits military veterans into Paralympic sports, describing it as a priority area. Its website states that six former combatants who fought in Ukraine are now part of Russian teams in athletics and swimming.
“The World Will Change, and We Will Be on International Platforms”
Although Russia has not released its full Paralympic roster, Suspilne identified several former soldiers with combat experience in Ukraine who now aim to compete internationally:
- Ivan Shiryayev (41, St. Petersburg, para snowboarder): Mobilized in autumn 2022 into a motorized infantry brigade in occupied Luhansk region, where he commanded a detachment. Wounded near Bakhmut in fall 2023, resulting in leg amputation; awarded the Zhukov Medal. He joined the Russian Paralympic reserve in 2025, won medals at domestic events, and has stated he “dreams of getting to the Paralympics.”
- Vladyslav Shynkar (49): Fought in Donbas since 2014 with the Vostok battalion (machine gunner, then deputy commander for armament). Lost both legs in April 2015 near Zabunivka, Donetsk region. After prosthetics, he continued in personnel roles before reserve status in 2017. Now a wheelchair fencer, he took second place at the Russian Championship and joined the national team. In a December 2025 interview, he declared: “Soon, you’ll see, the world will change, and we will be on international platforms. Those guys who defended the motherland on the front line will uphold Russia’s honor in international competitions.”
- Mykola Bondarenko (Krasnodar): Volunteered in 2022; lost his right arm after stepping on a mine during battles for Popasna in Luhansk region in April 2022. Became a Master of Sports in Russia and won the all-Russian “Defenders of the Fatherland Cup” in archery for athletes with musculoskeletal impairments in February 2026. He aspires to the Summer Paralympics.
- Tsyden Geninov (29, lieutenant in the Russian army): Russian champion in archery for athletes with impairments; from Trans-Baikal Territory, served since 2020.
Russian state media frequently highlight these athletes’ injury stories and sporting journeys while downplaying or omitting details of their military service and units.
The inclusion of Russian and Belarusian athletes under national flags at the 2026 Paralympics marks a significant policy shift by the IPC. Ukrainian voices, including Heraskevych, argue that allowing individuals with direct ties to the war undermines the spirit of the Games and risks legitimizing aggression on the global stage. As the Milan-Cortina Paralympics approach, this controversy highlights ongoing tensions between sport, politics, and accountability in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
IOC’s handling of political expressions and participation: the jury is out
The original article in Ukrainian by EUaliev’s partner Suspilne can be found here.
Caption: Combo image of photos of Russian athletes who fought against Ukraine and are involved in Paralympic sports. [Suspilne]
Updated: February 18, 2026 - 07:51
