Spectators turned their backs to crippled war veterans at Kremlin's special winter games
Many of the teachers and students that were forced to go to the so-called Winter Games for Protectors of the Motherland refused to cheer at the disabled athletes.
The sport stadium in Khanti-Mansiisk that used to host international competitions in cross-country skiing and biathlon was this week arena for the so-called Winter Games for Protectors of the Motherland.
More than 300 disabled men, all of them former soldiers in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, were participating in the games.
On the stands were students from regional high schools and colleges. They did not clap and salute the athletes. On the contrary, many turned their backs on the former soldiers from the war in Ukraine. Among them were also teachers, a local newspaper reports.
One of the teachers told journalists that they were unhappy about being forced to attend the event.
"They force us to come here," the teacher says. "They don't ask the kids whether they want to go or not. It is all mandatory."
The sport event was organised by Protectors of the Motherland, the organisation established by the Kremlin to support warriors fighting on occupied Ukrainian land.
More than 300 disabled former soldiers from 60 Russian regions are competing in cross-country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding, slalom and sledge hockey.
Among the participants is Anton Zyambakhtin from Alakurtti, Kola Peninsula. The soldier lost a leg in fighting with Ukrainians forces, and participated in the games with a prothesis.
Hundreds of thousands of Russian men have been badly injured in the war of aggression. Many of them will be invited to take part in sport activities for disabled, leader of Russia's Paralympic Committee says.
"Veterans from the special military operation have become an indispensable part of the Russian paralympic movement," Pavel Rozhkov says.
He explains that the Russian national Paralympic summer teams already include many former soldiers.
"They have excellent results and will compete with along with our Paralympic athletes - the strongest athletes in the world," Rozhkov underlines.
