Ukraine's intelligence uncovers Russian Paralympians who took part in invasion of Ukraine
War criminals legalized through Paralympic sport (photo: Getty Images)
Ukraine’s intelligence, together with partners, has uncovered a large-scale scheme to legalize Russian military personnel within the international Paralympic movement, according to the War&Sanctions portal.
Legalizing war criminals through sport
The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Center for Countering Disinformation, has published data on Russian athletes who entered Paralympic sport through rehabilitation programs for participants of the so-called special military operation.
Dozens of occupiers who took part in the offensive on Kyiv and the assaults on Avdiivka and Popasna are now officially listed as members of the aggressor state's national sports teams. In effect, Russia is attempting to legalize former combatants who were disabled during the aggression against Ukraine by integrating them into the global sports community.
Ukraine's intelligence publishes data on Russian Paralympians involved in the war against Ukraine
Terror champions
Among those identified are officers and rank-and-file soldiers who intend to compete in international competitions under the Russian flag.
Among the Russian “para-athletes” revealed today:
Vladyslav Shynkar – a member of the Paralympic national wheelchair fencing team. He served as deputy battalion commander for armaments and deputy battalion commander for personnel in the Vostok battalion.
Anton Bushmakin – a member of the national canoe and kayak team for athletes with musculoskeletal impairments. A sapper and former Marine, he took part in combat near Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. He is featured in the documentary film "Shagai," where he speaks about preparing for the Paralympics and his intention to compete under the Russian flag.
Tsiden Geninov – a member of the Russian Armed Forces national team and a nominee for “Best Athlete of 2025” by the International Military Sports Council (CISM). A lieutenant in the Russian Armed Forces, he served in the 5th Separate Guards Tank Tatsinskaya Brigade, which took part in the offensive on the Kyiv region.
Rinat Vasilyev – a Moscow Paralympic powerlifting athlete. He took part in combat near Melitopol and was awarded Russia’s Order of Courage and the Medal for Bravery for his service in the war.
Mykola Bondarenko, as part of the Russian Paralympic Committee project “We Are Together. Sport,” trained with the national Paralympic archery team and declared his intention to compete in the Summer Paralympic Games. He directly participated in the war against Ukraine in 2022 as a mercenary with the Wagner PMC and as a serviceman of the Russian Armed Forces, including in battles for Popasna in the Luhansk region.
Rostyslav Kostenko – a member of the reserve squad of the Russian national Paralympic wheelchair fencing team who voluntarily took part in the war against Ukraine. After rehabilitation at the “Perezagruzka” center in Russia’s Tula region, he returned to the Russian Paralympic national team.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense called for such athletes to be banned from international competitions.
“Such Russian athletes must be excluded from the global sports community and barred from participating in international competitions, even under neutral status,” the statement on Facebook said.
Global boycott at the 2026 Paralympics
The decision of the International Paralympic Committee to allow Russians and Belarusians to use national symbols during medal ceremonies has sparked an international scandal. Ukraine has already officially refused to take part in the opening ceremony of the Games.
Eleven countries have already joined the protest, including Germany, Poland, Canada, and the Baltic states. They are demanding a full review of the status of aggressor nations in global sport to prevent individuals who destroyed Ukrainian cities with weapons from appearing on the podium.
