Accessibility links

Breaking News

Ukrainian Figure Skating Official Fired After Taking Part In Event In Russia


Viktor Petrenko is seen performing in The Scarlet Flower ice musical in a performance in January 2021.
Viktor Petrenko is seen performing in The Scarlet Flower ice musical in a performance in January 2021.

Olympic champion Viktor Petrenko has been fired from his post as vice president of the Ukrainian Figure Skating Federation (UFFK) and expelled from the organization for taking part in an event in Russia that was organized by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's wife, Tatyana Navka.

Federation members were "outraged" by Petrenko's decision to participate in Navka's ice show, The Scarlet Flower, which started in the Russian city of Sochi on July 1 and is scheduled to end on September 30, the UFFK said in a statement.

"The former athlete made this shameful decision of his despite the wide-scale war that Russia is conducting against Ukraine for the fifth month," the statement said.

"Thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including hundreds of children, killed and tortured by the aggressor, massive missile strikes on our cities and villages, and the total destruction of people’s homes did not stop Viktor Petrenko from going onto the skating rink...to perform on a team with supporters of this horrible war."

Ukraine's National Olympic Committee also condemned Petrenko's participation in the show, calling it "unacceptable."

Odesa native Petrenko, 53, won gold medals in the singles figure-skating competitions at the 1992 Winter Olympics and the World Championships the same year and is a three-time European champion.

Navka won gold medals in ice dancing at the 2006 Winter Olympics and the World Championships in 2004 and 2005 and is also a three-time European champion in that sport.

Her husband, Peskov, has been Russian President Vladimir Putin's chief spokesman since 2008, when Putin started a term as prime minister.

  • 16x9 Image

    RFE/RL

    RFE/RL journalists report the news in 27 languages in 23 countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established. We provide what many people cannot get locally: uncensored news, responsible discussion, and open debate.

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG