Mr. Putin knelt on one knee when presenting the medal to the disabled athlete

Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed and awarded the Order of Friendship to Paralympic athlete Ivan Golubkov at a ceremony in the Kremlin on March 19.

Because this athlete had to use a wheelchair, Mr. Putin knelt on one knee to pin the prestigious medal on him. The video of that moment quickly spread on social networks and attracted great attention from public opinion.

Golubkov won three gold medals at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Italy March 6-15. He also won at previous Olympics in Sochi and Pyeongchang, South Korea.

The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Italy is considered a memorable milestone when for the first time after 12 years of sanctions, the Russian Paralympic delegation was allowed to compete with the country’s flag and national anthem.

Although only 6 athletes received invitations to participate, they ranked third in the entire group in terms of gold medals, behind China with 15 medals and the United States with 13 medals.

“I sincerely congratulate you, our national team, for a truly extraordinary performance at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games,” Putin said.

The Russian President thanked the “persistent efforts” of the athletes and emphasized that their presence has written one of the most glorious pages in the history of global Paralympic sports.