Defense special units near Pokrovsk reported the elimination of former 'Minister of Youth, Sports, and Tourism of the Donetsk People's Republic' Mykhailo Mishin. This news was confirmed by the pseudo-minister of 'youth, sports, and tourism of the DPR' Yevhen Shyrshov, who noted that Mishin participated in the conflict since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. From 2014 to 2017, he held the corresponding position in the DPR.
Inside, Russian skater Oleksandra Sayutina, who had previously been neutralized by the International Skating Union (ISU), participated in an event dedicated to Vladimir Putin's annual address to the Federal Assembly. A photo on Instagram from Russian skier Veronika Stepanova showed that Sayutina took part in a propaganda event with Putin's associates and Russian servicemen involved in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. This violates the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee regarding neutral athletes. Meanwhile, the 2026 Olympics will take place from February 6 to 22 in Italy.
Ukrainian defense forces eliminated the former 'minister' in the DPR, thereby disrupting the criminals with the Russian regime. At the same time, in the world of sports, there were attempts to embed propaganda narratives with neutral athletes. Such actions violate the principles of fair play and sports diplomacy.