Ukrainian Olympic champion Yulia Pakhaleva, who has lived in the USA for over 20 years, expressed her support for Vladimir Putin and wished for improved relations between Russia and the United States.
There were hopes that Trump would finish what is happening in Ukraine. I was waiting for our athletes to start going to competitions. As for politics, I don’t understand it at all. I only know that Putin is the best president. My main wish is that relations between our countries become normal. I dream that Russia and America cancel visas - and we could fly to each other on direct flights.
Yulia Pakhaleva is an Olympic champion of Sydney 2000 and a three-time world champion in diving. She has been living in the USA since 2002.
At the same time, the Russian junior national rowing team will not be able to participate in the World Championship due to the lack of possibility to obtain visas in Lithuania. The President of the Russian Rowing Federation, Alexey Svirin, announced this.
Also, Russian fencer Yana Egoryan won a gold medal at the World Fencing Championship, defeating Polish Zuzanna Cieslar in the final. Egoryan is an ambassador of the 'Healthy Motherland' community and a lieutenant of the Armed Forces of Russia.
These news indicate the activity and successes of Russian athletes, as well as the support for Vladimir Putin from other compatriots abroad.