In the midst of tensions between Moscow and Kiev, Russian skier Ilya Borov (left) and Ukrainian skater Alexander Abramenko (right) shook hands after winning a medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics, congratulating each other on their success. They hugged each other warmly and smiled.

Ilya Borov and Alexander Abramenko won bronze and silver medals in acrobatic skiing, respectively.

With tens of thousands of Russian troops present along the Ukrainian border and the possibility of an imminent attack, the athletes' embrace has been widely reported in the world media. Some likened it to a "celebration of momentary unity."

Vladimir Putin has said that Russia has no intention of invading Ukraine. "Maybe a few days later," US President Joe Biden said when asked by reporters when Russia might invade Ukraine on Thursday.

However, these athletes got out of the tense and cold framework of political relations and hugged each other for a moment.