The largest national Olympic torch relay in history started on October 7 in Moscow. The flame will travel for 123 days and 65,000 km through 2,900 cities and villages. The relay will conclude on February 7, 2014 at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Russia’s southern resort city of Sochi.
© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankThe Moscow leg of the Olympic torch relay ended Thursday. The flame was transported by the Moscow metro from the Slavyansky Bulvar station to Park Pobedy.
The Moscow leg of the Olympic torch relay ended Thursday. The flame was transported by the Moscow metro from the Slavyansky Bulvar station to Park Pobedy.
© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankOn Wednesday, the flame was carried around Moscow in special safety lanterns.
On Wednesday, the flame was carried around Moscow in special safety lanterns.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail VoskresenskyThe first leg of the national relay began on Moscow’s Red Square on Monday. Five-time Olympic synchronized swimming champion Anastasia Davydova was the first torchbearer. She covered 300 meters and then handed the flame on to two-time artistic gymnastics champion Svetlana Khorkina (photo).
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© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Voskresensky
The first leg of the national relay began on Moscow’s Red Square on Monday. Five-time Olympic synchronized swimming champion Anastasia Davydova was the first torchbearer. She covered 300 meters and then handed the flame on to two-time artistic gymnastics champion Svetlana Khorkina (photo).
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Voskresensky / Go to the mediabankAt 98 years old, actor Vladimir Zeldin was the oldest participant in the relay.
At 98 years old, actor Vladimir Zeldin was the oldest participant in the relay.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Voskresensky / Go to the mediabankAlso among the participants on the first day of the relay was Russia’s chief public health official Gennady Onishchenko.
Also among the participants on the first day of the relay was Russia’s chief public health official Gennady Onishchenko.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankWorld War II veteran Boris Runov, a laureate of the prestigious Hero of the Soviet Union medal, carries the torch at the opening of the Olympic torch relay in Moscow.
World War II veteran Boris Runov, a laureate of the prestigious Hero of the Soviet Union medal, carries the torch at the opening of the Olympic torch relay in Moscow.
All of Moscow watched the relay.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankAbout 5,000 police officers, soldiers and volunteers were enlisted to ensure public order. But officials did not manage to prevent traffic jams, with many roads in the city center closed.
About 5,000 police officers, soldiers and volunteers were enlisted to ensure public order. But officials did not manage to prevent traffic jams, with many roads in the city center closed.
© RIA Novosti . Alexey Filippov / Go to the mediabankMoscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin lit the torch of the Sochi Olympics on Red Square during an official ceremony that also featured a concert and part of the Festival of Light.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin lit the torch of the Sochi Olympics on Red Square during an official ceremony that also featured a concert and part of the Festival of Light.
© RIA Novosti . Valery Melnikov / Go to the mediabankMany-time world finswimming champion Shavarsh Karapetyan also took part in the relay. Karapetyan, born in 1953 in Armenia, is known not only for his multiple sporting achievements, but also for rescuing 20 people from a trolleybus that had fallen into the Yerevan reservoir in 1976. At a depth of 10 meters, Karapetyan managed to break the rear window of the trolleybus and pulled the people out of the ice-cold water.
Many-time world finswimming champion Shavarsh Karapetyan also took part in the relay. Karapetyan, born in 1953 in Armenia, is known not only for his multiple sporting achievements, but also for rescuing 20 people from a trolleybus that had fallen into the Yerevan reservoir in 1976. At a depth of 10 meters, Karapetyan managed to break the rear window of the trolleybus and pulled the people out of the ice-cold water.
© RIA Novosti . Alexei Fillipov / Go to the mediabankKarapetyan took part in the relay on both Sunday and Tuesday. On Sunday, October 6, the flame went out for over 20 seconds, after which one of the participants relit the torch. This happened again the next day.
Karapetyan took part in the relay on both Sunday and Tuesday. On Sunday, October 6, the flame went out for over 20 seconds, after which one of the participants relit the torch. This happened again the next day.
© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Astapkovich / Go to the mediabankOn Wednesday, the safety lantern was carried to the Ostankino TV Tower to a height of 337 meters by Russian figure skater and TV presenter Irina Slutskaya (photo). The flame was also taken to the Olimpiisky sports complex.
On Wednesday, the safety lantern was carried to the Ostankino TV Tower to a height of 337 meters by Russian figure skater and TV presenter Irina Slutskaya (photo). The flame was also taken to the Olimpiisky sports complex.
© RIA Novosti . Anton Denisov / Go to the mediabankOn Thursday, the torch relay moved on to the Moscow Region. Photo: The flame bearers get off a helicopter near the government building of the Moscow Region prior to the next leg of the relay.
On Thursday, the torch relay moved on to the Moscow Region. Photo: The flame bearers get off a helicopter near the government building of the Moscow Region prior to the next leg of the relay.