MILAN (AP) — Anastasia Kucherova, a Russian living in Milan, expressed her opposition to Russia’s war in Ukraine in a highly symbolic act of anonymity by holding a placard for Team Ukraine at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Cortina, Milan.
Kucherova wore a long silver down jacket with a hood and sunglasses over her eyes – just like every other placard-bearer from the 92 countries participating in the Olympics. Ukraine’s flag was lit up for the crowd to read.
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At first, the country assignment was random, but then the choreographer asked the volunteers if they had any preferences, and Kucherova chose Ukraine.
When Kucherova, an architect who has lived in Milan for 14 years, led the five Ukrainian athletes from the Milan competition into the San Siro stadium, they were completely unrecognizable and their nationality was not announced to the public. Loud cheers erupted from the audience.
She revealed her role first to her 879 Instagram followers and then in an interview with The Associated Press.
“When you walk around these people, you realize they have every human right to have hatred for any Russian,” she told The Associated Press on Monday. “But I think it’s important to take even small actions to show them that maybe not everyone thinks that way.”
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For Kucherova, talking about her small act of resistance on the second anniversary of the poisoning death of dissident Alexei Navalny is a way to remind the world that the war continues even as life continues elsewhere.
“It’s impossible for Ukrainians to avoid these thoughts or ignore the existence of war. So this is their reality. They continue to love each other, get married or play sports, compete in the Olympics. But it all happens against a backdrop of destruction.”
Without being told that Kucherova was Russian, the athletes immediately recognized her origins and addressed her in Russian. For Kucherova, this was a sign of “some deep connection” between Russians and Ukrainians that “could obviously continue to exist without war.”
The Milan delegation was led by short track speed skater Yelyzaveta Sydorko and included figure skater Kyrylo Marsak. Both athletes’ fathers fought on the front lines of the war, which is approaching its fourth anniversary.
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“Really, no words can undo the hurt that these people have suffered, and no words can come close to forgiveness,” Kucherova said.
Just before walking into the stadium, “I turned around – I didn’t know what to say to them – but I just said the whole stadium was going to give them a standing ovation.” Ukrainians seemed sceptical, she said.
As the cheers rang out, Kucherova said it felt like the entire stadium was “recognizing their independence, their willingness to pursue freedom, their courage to make it all the way to the Olympics.”
She cried silently behind her glasses.
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Kucherova has not visited Russia since 2018, but she understands that defying the regime is a risk.
“I have to worry about this, I should be afraid of it. I can’t guarantee that what I say won’t hurt anyone I know,” she said, “but I think if I live in a democracy and enjoy all the freedoms, if I feel afraid, it means the regime has won.”
Kucherova held a sign for another delegation, Denmark, which was also applauded for resisting U.S. threats to seize Denmark’s autonomous territory of Greenland.
“Yes, it’s a coincidence, but I thought about it,” Kucherova said.
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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
