“Stepanova and I are not going anywhere.” Interview with Ivan Bukin

Double Russian champion in ice dancing Ivan Bukin — about the “ Race of Stars”, the current season in figure skating and the desire to return to competitive activities in the future.

On February 5, Luzhniki hosted the ” Race of the Stars” biathlon, which attracted many spectators. The event was also attended by Ivan Bukin, two-time silver medalist and three-time bronze medalist of the European Ice Dance Championships.

This season, the 29-year-old athlete and his girlfriend Alexandra Stepanova did not participate in official competitions. The correspondent spoke with Ivan about the duo’s future plans, hosting the Russian Grand Prix and the Russians’ possible return to the international stage for the 2026 Olympics.

Who did you come to support?

– Actually, I came to encourage everyone! For everyone!

Do you think everyone did well today?

– It seems to me, well done. However, biathlon is such a hard sport, very hard. After all, you have to run and shoot!

I really liked everything! This is the first time that I have participated in such an event, I really liked it. It was cool.

“Do you plan to participate now? Maybe next year?

“I’m really, really enjoying it. All of this activity is wonderful. Look, how many people came (points to the stands). They’re all sick and worried. It’s such good energy!

– What is the importance of such events for the popularization of sport?

— I think they are necessary in general, in principle. Exactly. When you can come to wonderful Luzhniki in such good weather and see, cheer, see stars, athletes. I think it’s wonderful.

– Wasn’t it cold to stand at the same time?

– It’s not cold at all! Well how? Good weather, the sun is shining! As if everything was done for this event.

– I can’t help but ask you how much you follow this season in figure skating?

— I watch all the competitions.

– Is there a performance that you liked the most?

– Probably, I can’t isolate something separately. I looked at all the skates from a professional point of view. I recently watched the European Championship.

– Ho are you doing?

– Well, in ice dancing, everyone is great. Everyone tried and fought. Too bad the Italians (Charlene Guignard / Marco Fabbri) weren’t quite clean in their box office, but they’re still great. They continue to work.

Now let’s look at the Russian Grand Prix final. I’m really looking forward to seeing how all the guys have prepared and improved after the Nationals.

– Before this season, many were worried about what would happen to ice dancing due to the lack of top pairs, including you and Alexandra Stepanova … How do you rate the performances of the young duos?

“The guys are still young, they have everything ahead of them. So even if there were some failures which, for example, pursued our first couple (Elisabeth Khudaiberdieva And Egor Bazin ) as the season progresses, I’m sure they’ll pull through in the future. I hope that they will come out of these situations only with a plus for themselves, with great experience. To grow again. They are young and beautiful. I think they will succeed.

Are you going to come back with Alexandra?

And nobody!

– Nevertheless, you are not in competition this season.

– Yes, it’s true. But we will try to be in the next one.

– That is to say, will you give more fight to the youth?

– I think so. We will try to work. Honestly, watching the competitions, I understand that I missed them a lot. I would like to participate in tournaments of this level. All over Russia they held simply wonderful competitions. Everywhere there was wonderful organization, and I want to thank everyone who organized and held these events, as well as those who participated. All the competitions were on top. I think it was worthy. Thanks to the Figure Skating Federation.

– Sports excitement returned just for viewing?

– Yes yes. I really liked everything. Good game.

– Since we mentioned the European Championship, how would the Russian skaters behave?

– However, the European championship is a very serious start. Of course, you approach it with different internal preparation and nerves. You are generally more collected. I think the guys could compete and not do worse than many, that’s for sure. Of course, these are international competitions, everything can be different there, but in general, our athletes would have a good chance to show themselves well, to express themselves. In addition, many Russians have already participated in the European Championships. Everything is possible.

– The subject of citizenship has been discussed a lot this season Diana Davis And Gleb Smolkina . How did you react to such news?

“Actually, it’s just the choice of the guys. It’s their life, their sporting career. What exactly happened and for what reason – the question is addressed primarily to them, of course. At the same time, I think it’s a very promising couple, they work. I hope they will succeed. I want them to come out and prove themselves worthy.

– How do you see the prospect of Russian participation in the Winter Games in 2026?

– There are internal feelings about it, but that’s my personal. I hope that sport will remain a sport and that all athletes, wherever they are, can participate and compete. Have an honest Olympic spirit. Still, I can say that I will never forget what it is. The Olympic spirit in international competitions, the Olympics is a wonderful feeling. I hope that the next Winter Games will take place in the same good atmosphere, everything will be holistic, as it should be. So that everything is like at the usual Olympics, and all the difficulties and misunderstandings have disappeared. Sport is a party, everyone should be happy! Therefore, I don’t want to talk about topics that are not directly related to the sport itself.

” Race of the Stars” in cross-country skiing and biathlon took place on February 4 and 5 and was broadcast live on “”.

Open a video