Olympic champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, speaking at the 18th Council of Europe Sports Ministers Conference, urged Europe to ban Russian athletes from international competitions. She highlighted the tragic loss of over 487 Ukrainian athletes and coaches in the war and called attention to the destruction of over 500 sports facilities as a result of Russian aggression.
French authorities have arrested Telegram founder Pavel Durov and his brother Nikolai, issuing warrants as part of a broader investigation into the platform's alleged involvement in facilitating child abuse.
Ukraine's presence at the 2024 Olympics in Paris goes beyond sports, as the nation uses its Olympic House to commemorate war victims and raise global awareness of the horros inflicted by Russia's war.
In the meantime, Russian forces continue to target civilian areas, with recent missile strikes hitting a demining office in Kharkiv and injuring people in Odesa and Kherson.
French President Macron announced the transfer of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets and Dutch Defense Minister Ollongren pledged a €400 million investment in infantry fighting vehicles.
Despite a tradition of peace, Russia reacted cautiously to French President Macron's proposal for a truce during the Paris Olympics, citing concerns over potential Ukraine's violation, although no evidence of Kyiv breaching peace agreements was provided.
Parisian Mayor Anne Hidalgo has spoken out against the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the 2024 Olympic Games. She added, "Paris will support Ukrainian athletes as heroes; you will feel at home in Paris."
The International Olympic Committee declared that Russian and Belarusian athletes who have met the qualification criteria of the International Federations will be granted the opportunity to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris as Individual Neutral Athletes, without any national affiliation.