In pictures: Paralympic Winter Games kick off in Sochi
With a solitary Ukrainian athlete taking part in the opening ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin opened the Winter Paralympics in Sochi on Friday against the backdrop of his country’s military action in Crimea
Canada's flag-bearer Sonja Gaudet (C), leads his country's contingent during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014.ALEXANDER DEMIANCHUK/Reuters
Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014.Alexander Demianchuk
Biathlete Mykhaylo Tkachenko, the sole athelete representing Ukraine, enters the arena during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympics at the Fisht Olympic stadium in Sochi, Russia, Friday, March 7, 2014.Dmitry Lovetsky/The Associated Press
Performers take part in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014.Christian Hartmann
In this photo taken Thursday, March 6, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, greets athletes during his visit to the mountain Paralympic village in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia, on the eve of the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi.Alexei Nikolsky/The Associated Press
Performers carry the Russian national flag during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, March 7, 2014.ALEXANDER DEMIANCHUK/Reuters
An icebreaker ship called 'Peace' carries the Paralympic and Russian flags during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi March 7, 2014.Christian Hartmann
The Russian flag flies as performers participate in the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympics at the Fisht Olympic stadium in Sochi, Russia, Friday, March 7, 2014.Pavel Golovkin/The Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Paralympics at the Fisht Olympic stadium in Sochi, Russia, Friday, March 7, 2014.Dmitry Lovetsky/The Associated Press