Pyeongchang Silver Medvedeva’s “Anti-War Message” Moves the World

Russian women’s figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva, who won a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, has been making headlines after repeatedly posting anti-war messages on her Instagram account.

Medvedeva was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1999; her father is Armenian and her mother is Russian; she started figure skating when she was around 3 years old and won two consecutive World Championships in 2016 and 2017. She reigned as the undefeated absolute queen, but ended up with a silver medal at the Pyeongchang Olympics as Alina Zagitova, who emerged like a comet, continued her rapid rise.

Medvedeva is also known for her love of Japanese anime and Ghibli movies. In particular, she is a big fan of “Sailor Moon,” and performed at the 2016 Dream on Ice in a Sailor Moon costume.

In the midst of all this, Medvedeva posted a text on her Instagram that smacked of protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Medvedeva posted this black image using the Stories function on Instagram. On that black screen, she added the message, “Like a bad dream, I hope it all ends as soon as possible.

A few days earlier, Medvedeva had uploaded a memorable photo from four years ago in Pyeongchang. She must have been saddened by the sudden development of the international situation.

This post also raised concerns from her fans. Criticizing the regime in Russia is a big risk. And she is a very famous person. I wonder if she is in any danger because of this statement. ……

I hope she will consider seeking asylum and ensuring her own safety.”

I fear for her safety.”

There was also praise online for her courageous actions.

Not only is she a great athlete, but also a great person. I have the utmost respect for her.”

I was moved by her performance and by the beauty of her inner spirit.”

Incidentally, other prominent figures in Russia have also spoken out against the war. Tatyana Borosozhar, another figure skater and winner of the pairs gold medal at the Sochi Olympics, wrote on her Instagram, “Please don’t fight, support each other. It’s hard for everyone right now. In this situation, there is only one truth: peace is good, war is evil.”

We can only hope that the courageous Russian figure skaters’ actions will help to turn things around.