The Russian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Russia. The team represented Russia at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Ice Hockey Federation suspended Russia from all levels of competition.

History

Russia competed as an independent nation for the first time at the 1993 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Gävle, Sweden. Russia won their first medal, a bronze at the 1994 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Russia would earn silver in 1995, bronze in 1996 and 1997, and silver in 1998 after a devastating 2–1 overtime loss to Finland. Russia won their first gold medal in 1999, after defeating Canada 3–2 in overtime.[]

Russia hosted the World Junior U20 Hockey Championships in Moscow. In the quarterfinal game against Sweden Russia lost 4–3. The loss resulted in head coach Pavel Vorobiev showing his frustration towards his team. Switzerland and Russia engaged in a linebrawl in a placement game the same year, in which resulted in suspensions.[] Russia went on to win their second gold medal against Canada in 2002. Russia lost the quarter-final game in 2004.[]

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the tournament in North Dakota had the best players, who were due to make their NHL debuts made available. Canada and Russia met up in the gold medal game, which resulted in a 6–1 win for Canada. A year later, Russia would lose gold to Canada (5–0), and again in 2007 (4–2).[]

Russia's Alexei Cherepanov was due to represent Russia at the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Canada. Cherepanov died on 13 October 2008 at the age of 19 during a Kontinental Hockey League game when he collapsed on the bench after a line change. Russia was ousted by Canada in the semi-finals and go on to would win bronze over Slovakia.[]

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the International Ice Hockey Federation suspended Russia from all levels of competition.

The Russia U20 ice hockey team is a highly skilled and competitive team that represents Russia in international tournaments for players under the age of 20. The team is made up of some of the best young players in Russia, who have been selected based on their exceptional talent, skill, and dedication to the sport.

The team is known for its fast-paced, aggressive style of play, which is characterized by quick passes, precise shots, and hard hits. The players are highly skilled in all aspects of the game, including skating, stickhandling, shooting, and checking.

The Russia U20 team has a long and successful history in international ice hockey, having won numerous medals in various tournaments over the years. The team is known for its strong work ethic, team spirit, and commitment to excellence, which has helped them achieve great success on the ice.

Overall, the Russia U20 ice hockey team is a formidable opponent that is respected and feared by other teams around the world. With their exceptional talent and dedication to the sport, they are sure to continue to be a dominant force in international ice hockey for years to come.