MILAN (AP) — Anastasia Kucherova, a Russian living in Milan, voiced her opposition to Russia’s war against Ukraine with a highly symbolic, if at first anonymous, act: Carrying the Ukraine team placard during the opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

The topic has become a debate during the 2026 Milan Cortina Games amid the conflicts involving Russia and Israel.

Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified from competition last week because he insisted upon wearing a commemorative helmet, which honors more than 20 athletes and coaches from Ukraine who died during Russia's invasion,

Ukrainian businessman Rinat Akhmetov — the owner of the Shakhtar Donetsk soccer club and the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol — gave the money to Heraskevych from his charity foundation. The amount is equal to what the country’s Olympic gold medalists would get.

Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych will not competeafter refusing a last-minute plea from the IOC to use a helmet other than the one that honors more than 20 of his country's athletes and coaches killed in the war with Russia.

Ukraine said Wednesday that its officials will not attend the Winter Paralympics next month over the decision by organizers to allow a handful of Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their

Ukrainian officials will not attend the Winter Paralympics following the news that Russian athletes will be allowed to compete under their country's flag at the games. Ukrainian officials will boycott the event due to the ongoing war with Russia.

Vladyslav Heraskevych's "helmet of remembrance" was banned by the IOC, with the Ukrainian losing a subsequent appeal to CAS.

Skeleton slider Vladyslav Heraskevych late on Monday said he had returned to Ukraine after being excluded from the Olympic competitions. In a video posted on X, the 27-year-old appeared to record himself in darkness in central Kiev.

Vladysav Heraskevych, the Ukrainian skeleton racer disqualified from over his remembrance helmet, has received his country's Order of Freedom.