Ukrainian Figure Athletes “Furious at Russian Athletes’ Behavior” Serious Background

Alexandra Nazarova, who represented Ukraine in figure skating ice dance at the Beijing Olympics, expressed her anger at Russian competitors in the event on her Instagram account.

Nazarova, born in 1996 in Ukraine, began skating at age 7 and has competed in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Her ire was directed at ice dance competitors Viktoriya Sinitsina and Nikita Katsarapov. They both won silver medals at the Beijing Olympics.

They were attending an event at a Moscow stadium on March 18 to celebrate eight years since the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula. There, President Putin justified his attack on Ukraine with the baseless claim that the purpose of the invasion was to save pro-Russian groups in eastern Ukraine “from a massacre.” The event drew significant international attention. About 95,000 people attended the meeting, and about 100,000 gathered in the square outside (according to the organizers), where pop singers performed on stage.

Sinitsina and Katsalapov were also present at the event, both of them wearing clothing with the Z symbol, which has a pro-war connotation.

In response to their actions, Nazarova angrily responded, “We supported you at the Olympics, so why are they supporting war against our country?” She was probably appalled by the actions of her allies who competed in peace and ceremony.

We cannot allow a war that destroys everything that is possible. I hope that peace will come to both countries soon.