2 min readNew DelhiMar 21, 2026 12:26 PM ISTIn his address, Putin praised the athletes’ resilience, discipline and competitive spiritIn a striking and emotional scene that quickly grabbed worldwide attention, Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen going down on one knee to present the prestigious Order of Friendship to Paralympic skier Ivan Golubkov on Thursday. The honour recognised Golubkov’s exceptional performance at the 2026 Winter Paralympics held in Milano-Cortina.The rare gesture by the Russian leader was captured on video and soon went viral across social media platforms. The ceremony took place as Putin welcomed members of the Russian Paralympic contingent following their historic campaign at the Games—where the team competed under the national flag and anthem for the first time in over a decade, despite ongoing international sanctions.During the event celebrating medal winners from the Paralympic Winter Games, Putin was seen bending down to award the coveted decoration to the gold medallist. The clip spread rapidly online, with many viewers describing the moment as “unmissable”.Watch the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) Social media users were quick to react. One comment read, “The strongest people are the ones who know when to bow, not just when to stand.” Another user wrote, “Gentleman from Moscow,” while a third added, “Character that makes a difference.”According to Russian media reports, in his address, Putin praised the athletes’ resilience, discipline and competitive spirit, noting that their achievements were especially impressive given the relatively small size of the delegation compared to major sporting powers.Russia fielded just six competitors across alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and para-snowboarding, yet managed to finish third in the overall medal standings—a result widely seen as remarkable.Putin also signed an official decree conferring the Order of Friendship on Golubkov as well as fellow athletes Bagiyan, Bugaev and Voronchikhina, along with guide Sergey Sinyakin. Coaches Irina Gromova, Alexander Nazarov, Alexey Turbin and Alexey Kobelev were additionally recognised for their contribution to preparing the athletes for the Games. © IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd