Povilas Vanagas

Vanagas began skating at the age of three.^[1] His mother, Lilija Vanagiene, was Lithuania's national skating coach.^[1][2] Vanagas won six national titles in men's singles.^[1] At age 18, he was drafted into the Soviet Union army and sent to Moscow, Russian SFSR.^[1] Given a choice between becoming a soldier or skating full-time, Vanagas chose to become an ice dancer.^[1]

Tatiana Tarasova paired Vanagas with Russian ice dancer Margarita Drobiazko in Moscow.^[1] After the breakup of the Soviet Union, they decided to represent Lithuania. Vanagas said, "It was difficult at the beginning because there was a lot of friction between Russia and Lithuania. Since Rita is Russian, it caused many problems."^[1] They moved to Kaunas, Lithuania and began training with Elena Maslennikova.^[1] In 1995, they began working also in England with Betty Callaway, Jayne Torvill, and Christopher Dean.^[1]

In 1999, Drobiazko and Vanagas began spending time with Elena Tchaikovskaia in Moscow, while continuing to work with Maslennikova in Kaunas.^[1] They were also coached by Lilija Vanagiene and Anatoliy Petukhov.^[3][4] Drobiazko and Vanagas retired from competition following the 2001–2002 Olympic season, but returned to competition in 2005 to compete at their fifth Olympics.^[5] In preparation for the 2005–2006 season, they worked with Maslennikova, Rostislav Sinicyn, Igor Shpilband, Marina Zueva, Gintaras Svistunavicius, and David Liu, in the United States, Germany, Russia, and Lithuania.^[5] Drobiazko and Vanagas became the first and only figure skaters to compete at five Olympics. They retired again in 2006 following the World Championships.

Their choreographers included Elena Maslennikova,^[1][6] Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean,^[1] Elena Tchaikovskaia,^[1] Tatiana Pomerantseva,^[4] Elena Kholina,^[4] Yuri Puzakov,^[4] Vasily Kleimenov,^[3] and Gintaras Svistunavicius.^[5][6]

In the summer of 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vanagas played a role in a ballet Swan Lake on ice with Drobiazko in Sochi that was organized by the Kremlin. On August 10, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping off the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas from both skaters.^[7]

He appeared in the first seven seasons of ice show contest Ice Age.

Vanagas is fluent in Lithuanian, Russian, Polish, and English.^[1] While competing, he was a caregiver for an elderly woman.^[1] Vanagas has been married to Drobiazko since June 2000.^[6][8]

In the summer of 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vanagas and Drobiazko played a role in a ballet Swan Lake on ice in Sochi that was organized by former Olympic champion Tatiana Navka. On August 10, 2022, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping off the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas from both skaters.^[7]

On September 15, 2023, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nausėda signed a decree stripping Povilas Vanagas' wife and professional partner, Margarita Drobiazko, of her Lithuanian citizenship due to her "public support for the Russian federation" during its invasion of Ukraine.^{[9][10][11][12]} The couple continues their collaboration with Russian propaganda outlets.^[13]

(with Margarita Drobiazko)

(ice dance with Margarita Drobiazko)