A woman from Russia carried Ukraine's flag at the Olympic Games

At the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Milan, a woman of Russian origin carried the Ukrainian team's banner, according to the Guardian.

Anastasia Kucherova, an architect who has been living in Italy for 14 years, decided to take this symbolic step to express her support for Ukraine. As a volunteer, she led five Ukrainian athletes into the San Siro stadium and admitted that she had chosen this country deliberately.

In an interview with AP, she said she understands why many Ukrainians feel anger toward Russians. At the same time, however, she wanted to show that not all Russians support the war.

According to her, the athletes immediately recognized her origin and spoke to her in Russian, which she perceived as proof of the deep connection between the two nations—a connection that would probably have lasted if it weren't for the war.

She described her act as a small but important gesture of resistance and a reminder that the conflict in Ukraine is still ongoing.

(pir)