Tribuna.com details Russian sports federations' activity in occupied Ukraine

Tribuna.com says it has published the first part of an investigation into how Russian sports federations operate in occupied Ukrainian territories, using federation websites, calendars and competition documents. The findings land as Russia moves back toward international competition and raise fresh questions for global sports bodies reviewing eligibility and oversight.

Why it matters: - The investigation documents how Russian sports federations have extended their structures, events and regional listings into occupied parts of Ukraine. - The findings arrive as Russian teams are returning to international competition, putting added pressure on sports governing bodies reviewing Russia-related eligibility decisions. - Tribuna.com says the materials could be used by journalists and federations assessing how Russian sport is organized in occupied territories.

What happened: - Tribuna.com published the first part of an investigation into Russian sports federations in occupied Ukrainian territories. - The report covers ice hockey, field hockey, handball, judo, taekwondo, diving and aquatics. - The investigation relies on federation websites, social media channels, calendars, competition documents and other official materials. - The report was published in Kyiv on Nov. 3, 2026. - Tribuna.com says the full investigation is available in Ukrainian with links and screenshots for each finding. - Tribuna.com says further parts of the investigation will cover additional sports.

The details: - The Russian Ice Hockey Federation announced a youth camp for December 2025 at the Artek children's center in Crimea. - A team from Luhansk, Dizel-LGUOR, played in the 2025/26 under-18 championship of Russia's Southern Federal District. - Federation first vice president Roman Rotenberg said on Telegram that he met Denis Pushilin, head of the Russian-installed administration in Donetsk, on May 13, and that an agreement on youth hockey with the Krasnaya Mashina Junior academy he founded was signed in June. - The Russian field hockey federation's approved 2026 calendar lists Crimean championships. - A Crimean team entered the men's 5x5 Russian Cup in April 2026. - The Russian handball federation's website lists organizations for Donetsk, Luhansk, Crimea and Zaporizhzhia among its regional offices. - Crimean teams play in the women's first league of the Russian championship. - The Russian judo federation's results pages list "Battle of Cities. Novorossiya 2025" in Simferopol, with teams from Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia. - The judo federation also listed a 2026 national competition in Simferopol whose title referred to the "reunification of Crimea with Russia." - A judo seminar for coaches and referees took place in Donetsk in January 2026. - The Taekwondo Union of Russia lists Crimean, Sevastopol and Luhansk bodies in its member registry. - Taekwondo federation protocols for the 2026 national championship list judges from Luhansk and Crimea, and athletes from Donetsk and Crimea. - The Russian diving federation lists a Sevastopol federation among its regions. - The Russian aquatics federation's development map marks Crimea, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk. - Tribuna.com says the new investigation uses the same type of material it used in earlier reporting on chess: federation webpages, competition protocols and calendars.

Between the lines: - The report is less about isolated events than about the administrative normalization of occupied territories inside Russian sports systems. - The use of official federation material makes the findings harder to dismiss as rumor or outside interpretation. - Tribuna.com is trying to influence decision-makers as Russia's status in international sport is being reconsidered. - The publication mirrors earlier Tribuna.com reporting that helped trigger scrutiny of Russian chess activity in occupied territories. - In June 2026, the International Chess Federation suspended the Chess Federation of Russia over activity in those territories.

What's next: - Tribuna.com says it will publish additional parts of the investigation covering more sports. - The links and screenshots in the full report are intended to support follow-up scrutiny by governing bodies and news organizations. - The findings may feed into ongoing debates over Russia's return to international sport and how federations handle occupied territories.

The bottom line: - Tribuna.com's investigation presents official federation records as evidence that Russian sports bodies continue to organize and recognize activity in occupied Ukrainian regions, just as Russia seeks wider reentry into international competition.