TASS, September 15. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has deprived figure skater Margarita Drobyazko of the country's citizenship, the Delfi news outlet reported, citing information from the Lithuanian ELTA agency.

"Yes, today the president signed the corresponding decree," Delfi quoted the comment of the Lithuanian president's advisor Ridas Jasiulionis.

In August 2022, Nauseda decided to deprive Margarita Drobyazko and Povilas Vanagas of their state awards for their performance in the Swan Lake show of Olympic champion Tatiana Navka in Sochi amid the events in Ukraine.

Drobyazko, 51, was granted Lithuanian citizenship in 1993 in an extraordinary move to team up with Vanagas to represent the country at the Olympics. Together with Vanagas, Drobyazko has participated in five Olympic ice dance competitions (1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006), with the duo's best result being a fifth-place finish at the 2002 Games. Drobyazko is a thirteen-time Lithuanian champion, a two-time bronze medalist at the European Championships and a bronze medalist at the World Championships.

In 2000, Drobiazko and Vanagas were awarded the Order of Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, the presidential award for outstanding service to Lithuania.