Russia 25 visited the Peter and Paul Fortress and held an event for young players

Russia 25 visited the Peter and Paul Fortress on 11 December.

Once again, just like in 2023, one of the purposes of the visit was the traditional firing of the cannon.

At 12:00 local time, Russia 25 head coach Roman Rotenberg, team captain Alexander Nikishin and assistant captains Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexander Yelesin, having climbed the wall of the Naryshkin Bastion, fired a shot from a 122-millimeter howitzer.

The team subsequently visited the Flagpole Ice Rink, the largest of its kind in the world with an area of ​​28,000 square meters. A master class for young players from the Red Machine Junior Academy and the SKA Academy was staged on the rink.



Russia 25 captain Alexander Nikishin:

"Everyone's in a great mood ahead of the Channel One Cup. On this sunny day, we were very happy to hold a master class during which we
received a lot of positive emotions and shared our experience with the children. I'm sure that the children also really enjoyed the experience!"

Russia 25 head coach Roman Rotenberg:

"I want to say a huge thank you to Gazprom for this opportunity, this is a wonderful location which attracts more and more people every year. Gazprom undertakes a lot of efforts not only for the development of sport in our country, but also forms a new urban environment while supporting the Russian national team at the same time. The Flagpole Rink is a fantastic example of this.

"For us, this served as a chance to unwind a little and communicate with the fans. Our team is open to everyone, we are always happy to ventutre into public and meet with those for whom we play. Before the start of the main international tournament of the year, we all charged ourselves with positive emotions and held a celebration for the players of the SKA Academy, with Russia's leading players displaying their skills on the open ice.

"The day initially began for us at the Peter and Paul Fortress, located at the heart of Saint Petersburg. Everyone knows about the tradition of firing a cannon at midday from the Naryshkin Bastion, and today this honourable mission was entrusted to the Russian national team. The oldest monument of Saint Petersburg, an angel on the spire of the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the winter Neva and a rare glimpse of the sun made it a truly symbolic event."