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Olympic Biathlon Athletes Express Solidarity With Ukraine Amid Energy Shortages
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Several international biathletes participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy have expressed support for Ukrainians facing widespread power caused by Russian attacks during the games.
According to Tribuna.com on February 9, athletes from France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Italy voiced concern after Ukraine’s mixed relay team secured a top-8 finish on the opening day of Olympic biathlon events.
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Norwegian athlete Vetle Sjåstad Christiansen highlighted the challenges Ukrainians face amid continued Russian attacks on energy infrastructure: “Even no electricity to watch the Olympics on television… I just wish for peace in Ukraine. Our team is with you until the very end. We support the people of Ukraine, no doubt about that.”
Sweden’s Sebastian Samuelsson stated, “I can only imagine how terrible the situation is for them. I hope we can bring them some light. These are very difficult circumstances caused by Russian aggression.”
Finnish biathlete Suvi Minkkinen added: “I want to say that I’m not Ukrainian and I can’t fully understand what you’re going through. But stay strong, know that I support you. I hope biathlon brings some joy to the Ukrainian people in these hard times.”
Athletes from the French team also conveyed their support. Lou Jeanmonnot said, “We can’t imagine what Ukrainians are going through. I just want to express my full support. Stay strong. I know I’m lucky, and I just wish this ends so they can be as happy as I am today.”
Her teammate Éric Perrot also participated in the discussion, according to Tribuna.com.
Italian athlete Lukas Hofer underscored personal ties with Ukraine: “I want to thank all Ukrainians. I have good friends there — for example, Yuriy, who makes our rifle slings — he is a very close friend. We have a lot of fans and friends in Ukraine, and I can’t wait to see them again at another race. The biathlon family is a big family that supports Ukrainians. I want to keep racing with this flag — it’s also a sign of support for them.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) classified Russia’s repeated attacks on energy infrastructure as crimes against humanity, citing over 250 strikes on power and heating facilities since the start of the 2025–2026 heating season.
According to Radio Svoboda, the SBU is gathering evidence to pursue accountability for Russian military personnel both domestically and internationally.
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