• Ukraine to boycott 2026 Paralympics due to Russian athletes competing.
• Ukrainian Sports Minister decries the decision as supporting propaganda.
• Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will compete under national flags.
• Ukrainian athletes to participate, but officials will not attend.
• The decision follows a partial lift of previous bans on the nations.

Ukraine officials have announced they will boycott the upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics over the participation of six Russian and four Belarusian athletes who will compete under their national flags, according to Reuters.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) confirmed the participation of these athletes, reversing a previous ban imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This decision has drawn strong condemnation from Ukraine's Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi, who stated on social media that it is "disappointing and outrageous" to allow Russian athletes at the games as it serves as a platform for "war propaganda," according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

The IPC's decision allows a total of 10 para-athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete, following a general assembly vote that lifted their partial suspension. This controversy intensified when Bidnyi emphasized that these nations' flags "have no place at international sporting events that stand for fairness, integrity, and respect," highlighting the negative implications of their participation, as reported by Le Monde and Reuters.

While Ukrainian athletes will still participate in the Paralympics scheduled from March 6 to 15, no Ukrainian officials will attend the opening ceremony or any events, underscoring the tension created by the IPC's ruling. The decision follows a successful appeal by Russia and Belarus against the International Ski and Snowboard Federation regarding eligibility in certain sporting events, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.