Two-time Stanley Cup champion took part in honoring Russian occupiers.

On Tuesday, May 25, a hockey tournament dedicated to the participants of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine took place at the 'Auto' ice arena in Yekaterinburg. Various teams participated in the competition, including veterans of the HC 'Avtomobilist', among whom was Pavel Datsyuk.

The tournament gathered war participants, their relatives, law enforcement representatives, citizens, and educational institutions of the Sverdlovsk region. Teams from various structures, including Russian military, took part in the competitions.

At the opening ceremony, Anna Sadyrina, head of the Committee of Families of Soldiers of the Fatherland of the Sverdlovsk region, and activist Svetlana Lavrentyeva from Chelyabinsk region, who lost their sons during the war in Donbas, spoke.

Pavel Datsyuk attended the tournament

A special surprise for the tournament participants was the appearance of Pavel Datsyuk, a famous hockey player born in Yekaterinburg, who has impressive achievements in his career.

The Russian hockey player Georgy Gubanov, who plays for the 'Ural Wolves' team and scored a goal, also took part in the tournament. The veterans team of HC 'Avtomobilist' won.

Russian athlete supports the war

Figure skater Ksenia Korzhova expressed her support for the Russian aggression and the president. This caused outrage among the sports community and viewers. Some Russian athletes were excluded from participating in the Olympic Games due to their support for aggression against Ukraine. The sports tournament united participants from various spheres of life for a common goal. The conflict in Eastern Ukraine struck the sports community and provoked sharp reactions. The conflict in Eastern Ukraine united tournament participants from various fields of life as a whole, from hockey veterans to high-ranking officials, national heroines, and famous athletes. It showed that sports can unite people even in the most difficult situations.