The RIHF, Belarusian and Kazakh ice hockey federations have signed an agreement

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation, the Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation and the Belarus Ice Hockey Federation have signed an agreement concerning the exchanging of referees.

The agreement is aimed at developing cooperation in the field of refereeing and raising the level of officiating in national championships.

The exchange program will cover the following three competitions during the 2025/2026 campaign:

- Russia's OLIMPBET All-Russian Hockey League among men's teams;
- Kazakhstan's Pro Hokei Ligasy among men's teams;
- Belarus' Extraleague among men's teams.

The program includes the following six referees and six linesmen:

- Nikita Mamlin, Alexei Nikonorov, Vladislav Romanov and Vladimir Pyrkhov from Russia;
- Vladislav Zotov, Mikhail Stupak, Nurlan Alpyspayev and Timur Iskakov from Kazakhstan;
- Miroslav Skok, Evgeny Goncharov, Nikita Kotikov and Vasily Apanovich from Belarus.

They will officiate a grand total of 24 matches across the three stipulated leagues.

The implementation of the agreement will allow the referees to gain valuable international experience, become acquainted with the features of the national championships of neighbouring countries and exchange leading refereeing techniques.

The Russian Ice Hockey Federation considers the creation of the exchange program an important step with regard to officiating and the integration into the international ice hockey community. Joint efforts with colleagues from Kazakhstan and Belarus contribute to the formation of a unified professional community, where the quality and objectivity of refereeing remain a priority.