- Her father is a soldier in the Ukrainian army and was captured by Russian soldiers.
She was very upset by it and could not participate in the competition.
She is now being followed up and has received support, says the Ukrainian troupe's spokesperson Natalija Harach according to AFP about Laletina who would line up in the middle distance in the sitting class.
Her teammates competed but with a heavy heart and a constant presence with the home country.
- Even though I am here physically and competing, all my thoughts, my heart and my soul are with my family and my child, says Oleksandra Kononova, silver medalist in the ladies' middle distance in biathlon, to the Paralympic organizer in Beijing.
"Fighting for Ukraine"
- We are here to fight for Ukraine, with Ukraine and in the name of Ukraine, says Iryna Buj who took the gold before Kononova.
Ukraine is very successful in the games in Beijing in the shadow of the war and only took nine medals today.
In total, there have so far been six gold, seven silver and four bronze, 16 of 17 medals in biathlon.
The UN estimates that 1.7 million people fled their homes in Ukraine after the Russian invasion on February 24.
Russia and Belarus were suspended from participating in the Paralympics.