Published on: 2026-10-23
Source: The Government of the Russian Federation –
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In Krasnoyarsk, as part of the XIV International Sports Forum “Russia – a sports power,” a plenary session titled “The Soul of Russia. Sport as a strength of character: a new interpretation of traditions” was held. It was moderated by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. The forum is organized by the Ministry of Sport, and the operator is the Roscongress Foundation.
The plenary session was attended by the Minister of Sports Mikhail Degtyarev, Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai Mikhail Kotyukov, Head of the Republic of Khakassia Valentin Konovalov, Chairman of PJSC “PSB Bank” Pyotr Fradkov, representatives of regions, the sports community, and specialized organizations. The session discussed two key topics: how to attract a new audience to traditional and national sports and, in general, how to improve citizens’ satisfaction with the conditions for physical culture and sports activities.
“By the order of President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, we must create all the conditions so that at least 70% of our citizens regularly engage in sports. It must be interesting and accessible. This is not only about a healthy lifestyle but also about values. In 2022, thanks to the head of state, our country became the only one in the world to adopt a formalized set of values, enshrined by decree. They are so deeply integrated into our DNA that they were instantly embraced by society. In the current geopolitical conditions, it is important to protect and strengthen such values. Sports help with this,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
He emphasized that national sports create a stronger bond with one’s homeland, an honest attitude towards life, and respect for traditions and family, since they were originally built on the same foundation of values.
“Today in Russia, more than 80 disciplines are developing within 7 nationwide traditional sports, and over 50 disciplines are recognized across 9 national sports. Our task is to preserve their uniqueness while simultaneously making them modern, interesting, and understandable to a broad audience, primarily the youth. A major role in this is assigned to the project ‘Soul of Russia.’ Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin spoke about its significance at the XII St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures. Today, ‘Soul of Russia’ opens new possibilities for integrating sports into modern culture,” noted the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that national sports are gradually expanding beyond their regions. Mas-wrestling is now developing in 24 Russian federal subjects.
He added that, following the third quarter of 2026, the level of satisfaction with the conditions for physical culture and sports across the country was 61.6%. “This indicates that virtually everyone has real opportunities to engage in sports. Accessible venues, clubs, preferably close to home, experienced coaches and mentors – we are working on various areas to achieve this. The audience we interact with is one of the largest – over 80 million people who regularly participate in physical culture and sports,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.
Dmitry Chernyshenko said that among the most popular disciplines in the country are football, swimming, and volleyball. Sambo, recognized as an Olympic sport, is also developing dynamically.
“We are actively continuing to build infrastructure. The level of provision with sports facilities is about 63%. People evaluate the accessibility of the facilities, their quality, the convenience of the class schedules, the professionalism of the coaches. It is necessary to involve primarily the younger generation in sports life. Equally important is to develop the competition system itself — from municipal and regional to the largest all-Russian and international events. Athletes need competitions with worthy opponents to achieve high results,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Dmitry Chernyshenko and the Minister of Sports, Chairman of the Russian Olympic Committee Mikhail Degtyaryov also visited the exhibition of the XIV International Sports Forum “Russia – a Sports Power.” The exhibition features 45 stands showcasing sports projects and achievements of departments, regions, sports federations, and companies. For example, at the Krasnoyarsk Krai stand, the head of the region, Mikhail Kotyukov, presented the region’s adaptive sports system, with special attention given to the project “Sledge Hockey on Equal Terms,” which helps SVO veterans recover through sports.
At the “Moscow Sport” booth, the Deputy Prime Minister thanked Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin for the development of the “Luzhniki” sports infrastructure.
At the Chelyabinsk Region booth, Governor Alexey Texler presented information about the main sports facilities in the region, modern venues of the All-Russian GTO complex, and teams. At the booth of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency, specialists demonstrated how the unified system of medical and biological support for athletes is organized using the latest technologies. The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s booth featured products from Russian manufacturers, including stadium surfaces, sportswear, balls, exercise machines, and much more.
Also, in the presence of Dmitry Chernyshenko at the Ministry of Sport’s stand, signing ceremonies were held for memorandums of cooperation between the Russian Olympic Committee and the Olympic Committee of Equatorial Guinea, and between the Ministry of Sport of Russia and PJSC “Bank PSB.” Mikhail Degtyarev signed the memorandums with Alejandro Martín Owono Evuna, President of the National Olympic Committee of Equatorial Guinea, and Petr Fradkov, Chairman of PJSC “Bank PSB.”
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