Moscow: In a rare and poignant moment, Russian President Vladimir Putin knelt to award the prestigious Order of Friendship to Paralympic skier Ivan Golubkov on Thursday, recognising his outstanding performance at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milano-Cortina, Italy.

The moment when Putin knelt to award Ivan Golubkov captured global attention and quickly went viral on social media.

The ceremony took place as Putin welcomed the Russian national team following their historic showing at the Games, where the delegation competed under the national flag and anthem for the first time in 12 years amid lingering international sanctions.

He lauded the athletes for their perseverance, skill, and determination, highlighting that the results were achieved with a significantly smaller team than major rivals.

Despite sending only six athletes across alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and para-snowboarding, Russia secured third place in the gold medal tally, a remarkable feat given the size of the delegation.

Putin personally signed a decree awarding the Order of Friendship to Golubkov, Bagiyan, Bugaev, Voronchikhina, and guide Sergey Sinyakin, honoring their “high sporting achievements, will to win, determination, and perseverance” at the Games. Coaches Irina Gromova, Alexander Nazarov, Alexey Turbin and Alexey Kobelev were recognised for their role in athlete preparation.

The 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, held from March 6 to 15, showcased elite global competition, with China topping the medal table, followed by the United States.