The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has issued a sharp criticism of the decision made by the organizers of the Olympic Games to select Russian Anastasia Kucherova to carry the placard with the inscription “Ukraine” during the parade of the Ukrainian delegation.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukraine’s Demands to the IOC
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Georgiy Tikhiy, emphasized at a briefing that such a move by the organizers contradicts moral and ethical principles. Ukraine demands that the International Olympic Committee conduct an internal investigation to identify those responsible for this decision, and also expects an official apology from the IOC.
“This goes beyond any human morality and any principles. Frankly, it’s hard to even put into words.”
Anastasia Kucherova’s Position
Anastasia Kucherova, an architect of Russian descent, has lived in Milan for 14 years and claims she has not visited Russia since 2018. She asserts that she consciously chose to represent Ukraine when the ceremony’s choreographer inquired about her preferences. Kucherova notes that she is aware of the negative attitude of Ukrainians towards Russians, but believes it is important to show through her actions that not all people think alike.
During the ceremony, Ukrainian athletes recognized her Russian origins and addressed her in Russian. Kucherova perceived this as a manifestation of a certain deep connection that, in her opinion, could have been preserved if it weren’t for the war.