EU Commissioner Glen Micallef refused to attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games due to the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus under national flags. He called this unacceptable against the backdrop of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
The relevant ministry believes that the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games under national flags is outrageous and effectively contributes to the "normalization" of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under national flags at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Russia received six spots in para-alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding, while Belarus received four spots in cross-country skiing.
Russian architect Anastasia Kucherova, who lives in Italy, carried the Ukrainian team's sign at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan.
On February 15, representatives of the Ukrainian national team will compete in alpine skiing and biathlon at the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Anastasiia Shepilienko will compete in giant slalom, while Vitaliy Mandzyn, Dmytro Pidruchnyi, Yuliia Dzhima, Oleksandra Merkushyna, and Khrystyna Dmytrenko will participate in the pursuit race.
Damage to railway infrastructure caused train delays and is being treated as a criminal offense against the transport system.
The International Olympic Committee is selling merchandise commemorating the 1936 Berlin Games, which Adolf Hitler used to showcase Nazi ideology. This has drawn criticism due to historical issues associated with Nazi propaganda.
Vladyslav Heraskevych has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding his disqualification at the Olympics. The case may be heard within 24 hours.
Kyrylo Marsak made his Olympic debut, setting a Ukrainian record with 86. 89 points. He took 11th place, which is the country's best result since 1998.
Italian tax police raided Amazon's headquarters in Milan and the homes of seven managers as part of a new tax evasion investigation. The company is suspected of failing to declare income and having a hidden permanent establishment in Italy from 2019 to 2024.
The IOC has allowed Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych to remain at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics, despite his disqualification. This decision was made after an appeal to the head of the IOC Disciplinary Commission.
The IOC has officially disqualified Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. The reason is his refusal to comply with IOC rules on athlete self-expression.
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been excluded from the 2026 Olympic Games after refusing to change his helmet, which features images of fallen Ukrainian athletes. He plans to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen supported Ukrainian Olympians with the "Memory is not a violation" flashmob. This is a response to the IOC's ban on using the "memory helmet" at the 2026 Olympics.
Vladyslav Heraskevych does not accept the IOC's conditions and stated that he will compete at the 2026 Olympics exclusively in this helmet. The NOC of Ukraine expressed support for the Ukrainian athlete and stated that it would defend the right of Ukrainian athletes to honor the memory of fallen colleagues with dignity.
The Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee to allow Ukrainian athletes to use symbols honoring those killed by Russian aggression. This came after Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was banned from competing in a helmet featuring portraits of deceased athletes.
Ukrainian figure skater Kyrylo Marsak made his debut at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Games, scoring 86. 89 points in the short program. He dedicated his performance to his father, who is defending Ukraine, and advanced to the free skate.
Ukrainian luger Olena Smaga supported skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych, whom the IOC banned from competing in a helmet with photos of deceased athletes. She showed the inscription on her hand "Memory is not a violation" during the competition.
The organizers of the Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina have resolved a technical problem with medals that were cracking, breaking, or coming apart. The cause was a safety-designed lanyard breakaway mechanism, which has now been adjusted.
The Ukrainian athlete was allowed to honor the memory of fallen athletes, but was not allowed to use a "helmet of memory" for this purpose.
Italian snowboarder Roland Fischnaller competed at the 2026 Olympics in a helmet with a Russian tricolor, and the IOC did not take disciplinary action. Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was forbidden to compete in a helmet with portraits of deceased athletes.
Yelyzaveta Sydorko set a national record in the 500-meter distance at the 2026 Olympics, completing it in 43. 337 seconds. Despite the high result, she could not advance to the quarterfinals, finishing fourth in her heat.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that the people who booed US Vice President J. D. Vance at the Winter Olympics showed "European pride." This occurred after a series of critical remarks about Europe from American officials.
The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine expresses hope for a fair, objective, and impartial decision from the International Olympic Committee.
Giorgia Meloni supported law enforcement after clashes with protesters near the venue of the Winter Olympic Games. She condemned the actions of "enemies of Italy" who organize demonstrations and cut railway cables.
In Milan, thousands of protesters demonstrated against the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, leading to clashes with police. Demonstrators expressed dissatisfaction with the environmental consequences and rising housing prices.
The first medals of the XXV Winter Olympic Games have been awarded in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Franjo von Allmen from Switzerland and Frida Karlsson from Sweden won gold in their disciplines.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games began on February 6 at the San Siro stadium in Milan. The ceremony was filled with symbolic moments: from artistic performances reflecting Italian culture to large-scale light effects that emphasized the unity of all participating countries of the Olympics.
The Ukrainian national team solemnly marched in the parade of teams under the blue and yellow flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games. The Ukrainian delegation received a warm reaction from the audience.
The opening ceremony of the XXV Winter Olympic Games has begun in Milan and Cortina. The main highlight was the installation of five Olympic rings "flying" in the air, symbolizing the holding of the Games in five different locations in Italy.
