CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, March 7 - Russia's flag was raised on a Games podium for the first time in a decade as the country won two bronze medals in the men's and women's downhill standing events at the Milano Cortina Paralympics on Saturday.
Russia have been barred from competing under their national symbols for years over doping violations and the war in Ukraine.
The flag was last raised at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
The ban remained in place at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics but was lifted for the Paralympics following a decision by the International Paralympic Committee, prompting criticism from several countries.
On Saturday, Russian alpine skier Varvara Voronchikhina, 24, took bronze in the women’s downhill standing event, while her compatriot Aleksei Bugaev, 29, finished third in the men’s race.
A small group of Russian supporters — mostly members of the delegation and reporters — waved a single Russian flag as they celebrated the athletes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, expressed satisfaction that Ukraine had already won six medals -- three gold, one silver and two bronze -- at the Games.
"It is important that the Ukrainian flag and anthem will be seen and heard proudly in Italy," he said. "In particular, for those immoral sports officials who allowed Russians to compete during an aggressive war and to carry their flag of war."
At the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, held in southern Russia on the Black Sea, Bugaev won multiple gold, silver and bronze medals.
"It was a good run for me. I'm happy to be here and to have won my first medal since 2014, for me and for my country," Bugaev told reporters.
He said that during their suspension from major Paralympic events, Russian athletes continued to train. "Every month we had training camps. We had a good pre-season in Russia before coming here," he said.
Voronchikhina, who is competing at her first Games, said she was glad to compete under the new rules.
"We have been without a flag for a very long time, and I'm really happy about that (the new rules) for my country and my teammates," she added.
Voronchikhina recalled the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, when Russian athletes were excluded at the last moment following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
"In Beijing I trained for downhill and then we went back home. It was really sad for me," she said.
Both athletes declined to answer questions about Russia and the war in Ukraine.
Russia have six athletes competing at the Paralympic Games in Italy, all in skiing and snowboarding events.
(Reporting by Giancarlo Navach, editing by Giselda Vagnoni, Christian Radnedge and Ken Ferris)
