Putin talked with young hockey players and signed a stick with a Khokhloma painting.

On August 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Volga Arena multi-purpose sports complex as part of his working trip to Nizhny Novgorod, where he talked with young hockey players and signed a stick with a Khokhloma painting.

After inspecting the complex, the president was escorted to the ice arena, where two teams were training. Vladimir Putin noted that the new facility was a gift for all residents, and thanked the builders and the Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Gleb Nikitin, for their work.

The President stressed that hockey is one of the most beloved sports in Nizhny Novgorod and the city has many fans. The young hockey players thanked the head of state for the opportunity to train on a modern playground and promised to achieve victories.

The athletes presented Putin with a hockey stick decorated with Khokhloma painting. In turn, the president, at the request of the players, left an autograph on another stick and a hockey jersey.

The new sports complex with a total area of 95.7 thousand square meters was approved for commissioning in August 2026. The facility will become the home arena for the Nizhny Novgorod hockey club Torpedo.

Volga Arena includes a main ice rink with stands for 12,000 spectators, as well as two training grounds, each of which is designed for 250 people. One of the training arenas is technically adapted for sledge hockey competitions.

The project has already received several awards. In 2023, he was recognized as the best in the field of public-private partnership, and in 2026 he was awarded an annual award and a specialized competition. It is expected that the complex will become part of the cultural and sports cluster of the city, including thanks to modern lighting and sound equipment.

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Putin arrived in Nizhny Novgorod earlier in the day on a working trip. The head of the Nizhny Novgorod region met the Russian leader at the plane ramp. During the trip, the head of state visited the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) exhibition of technology companies "Know Our People" at the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Age", as well as the Nizhny Novgorod auto cluster, where Volga brand cars are manufactured.