MELNIKOVA Angelina Romanovna

Competed at the 2024 BRICS Sports Games in Kazan (russia).
In early 2025, Melnikova received neutral athlete status from the International Gymnastics federation (FIG), which allowed her to return to international competitions.
She competes for the Central Sports Club of the Army (CSKA), which is subordinate to the russian ministry of defense.
CSKA regularly provides support to the military and veterans of the so-called "special military operation" by purchasing and delivering specialized equipment, FPV drones, generators, and humanitarian cargo to the front. It also conducts military-patriotic education for children and youth, organizes patriotic sports events, and promotes international cooperation, including through the World Military Games project. As a result, CSKA athletes competing in international events effectively represent the armed forces of the aggressor state.
In April 2025, she won the primaries of the pro-government political party United russia to run in the elections to the Voronezh City Duma. Later, in July 2025, she announced her withdrawal from the race, explaining that it was impossible to combine an election campaign with preparation for international competitions.
In 2021, she was personally awarded the Order of Friendship by putin for "a great contribution to the development of domestic sports, high sporting achievements, the will to win, resilience, and determination demonstrated at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in 2020 in Tokyo (Japan)".
Also in 2021, she was personally awarded the Medal "For Strengthening the Combat Commonwealth" by Sergei Shoigu, who at that time served as russia’s Minister of Defense.
She is implementing the project Angelina Melnikova’s School of Sports Gymnastics within the framework of the grant competition organized by ANO Image of the Future, with direct support from the government of Voronezh region, russia.
Through her Instagram account, Melnikova publicly expresses support for russia’s war against Ukraine, publishing and sharing pro-war content online, as well as using Z-symbols. In 2023, she took part in raising funds for the daughter of a russian serviceman killed in action. In January 2025, she held a "charity training session for children from families of participants in the so-called "special military operation", and in May 2025 she posted a photo of herself wearing a St. George’s ribbon stylized as the letter Z, thereby promoting russia’s invasion of Ukraine.