The Ukrainian national biathlon team was headed by the Russian coach Andrey Prokunin. According to Biathlon. com. ua, a decision on this was taken by a specially created commission. Before becoming a senior coach of the Ukrainian team of biathletes, Prokunin was preparing for the Olympics in Pyeongchang men's and women's teams of South Korea.

The president of the Biathlon Federation of Ukraine, Vladimir Brynzak, who is also vice-president of the National Olympic Committee, said on March 13 that Ukrainian athletes will not compete in Russia. According to him, to cancel this decision, the general political situation needs improvement. However, this odious decision did not prevent Brynzak, who was a member of the Biathlon Commission, to be elected to the post of senior coach of the Russian national team. Earlier, a group of Ukrainian wrestlers ignored the ban on performing in Russia and came to Kaspiisk for the European Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship.