Aggressor state tries to legitimize its war crimes through sports - Mierina

RIGA - The aggressor state is trying to legitimize its war crimes through sports, Saeima Speaker Daiga Mierina (Greens/Farmers) said Wednesday during a meeting with Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

Mierina told Kondratiuk that the disqualification of Ukrainian athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych from the Olympic skeleton competition and the ban on his helmet with a symbolic design depicting Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia's war of aggression triggered a broad public response in Latvia and a condemnation of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision, LETA was told at the Saeima press office.

The Saeima speaker underlined that Latvia will continue to do its utmost to explain to the world Russia's aggressive nature. Russia uses so-called soft power, and this is evident even in sports. In response to the ban on the Ukrainian athlete, the Saeima unanimously adopted a decision last Thursday expressing support for Ukrainian athletes and condemning the IOC's action in equating the commemoration of those killed and sacrificed in the Ukrainian war of defense with war propaganda.

The deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament stressed that what had happened not only showed the human strength of Ukrainian athletes but also highlighted to the wider world the double standards of sports organizations.

She also thanked Latvia for its comprehensive support, including military assistance. This year, Latvia will continue to allocate at least 0.25 percent of its GDP, or EUR 110 million, for military support to Ukraine.

Russian attacks continue unabated, and the number of civilian casualties is rising significantly, Kondratiuk noted. Moreover, this winter is particularly hard because Russia is carrying out so-called cold genocide - Holodomor - by targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and leaving people without heat. But spring is not far away, and Russia is failing to break the spirit of resistance of the Ukrainian people.

The Saeima speaker said that Latvia is following and will continue to closely follow all developments in Ukraine. Latvia is and will remain shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, the parliament said. Mierina also expressed support for Ukraine's accession to the European Union (EU) and NATO.

Only continued pressure on Russia can stop Russian aggression, the Saeima speaker stressed, adding that the EU is working on the next package of sanctions against Russia, which will cover the energy, financial, and military-industrial sectors, also preventing the possibility of circumventing sanctions.

Kondratiuk also met with Saeima Secretary Edvard Smiltens (United List), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Inara Murniece (National Alliance), and Janis Skrastins (New Unity), Head of the Saeima group for cooperation with the Ukrainian parliament.

As reported, the Saeima on Thursday adopted a draft resolution proposed by the opposition National Alliance and United List supporting Ukrainian athletes honoring the memory of their comrades who died in the war defending Ukraine at the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.

The resolution was adopted by 81 votes, while MPs of the Stability faction did not register for the vote.

As reported, Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych is out of the Milano Cortina Games after refusing a last-minute plea from the IOC to use a helmet other than the one that honors more than 20 athletes killed in the war with Russia.