MOSCOW, March 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin to congratulate all Russian athletes with their victories at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
"Our president will certainly extend his congratulations to our Paralympians, as he always does. It is a matter of pride for the entire country," Peskov said at a news briefing.
Earlier this week, Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina won the first gold for the Russian team at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Super Giant event.
This medal was important not for the Russian Paralympian alone but for the entire country as well since the Russian national anthem was played at the Paralympic Games for the first time in 12 years, since the 2024 Winter Paralympics in Russia’s Sochi.
It was another medal for Voronchikhina at the 2026 Paralympics as she also brought the Russian team earlier the bronze in Women’s Downhill. Russian alpine skier Alexey Bugaev aslo brought his team earlier a bronze medal in Men’s Downhill.
The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games are held in Italy on March 6-15. The Russian Paralympians were allowed to compete at the upcoming Winter Paralympics under the national flag and to the tune of the country’s anthem for the first time in the 12-year period due to previously imposed sanctions.
President of the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) Pavel Rozhkov told TASS in February that six Russian Para athletes had received bipartite invitations to the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
The invitations were extended to three-time Paralympic Champion in alpine skiing Alexey Bugaev, two-time World Champion in alpine skiing Varvara Voronchikhina, multiple World Champion in para cross-country skiing Ivan Golubkov, World Championship medalist in para cross-country skiing Anastasia Bagiyan and her guide Sergey Sinyakin, and para snowboarders Dmitry Fadeyev and Philipp Shebbo Monzer.