The upcoming Relay promises to be the most innovative and unusual in the history of the Paralympic Games.

The Paralympic Torch Relay began on Wednesday (26 February) in the Far Eastern Federal District ahead of the start of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games on 7 March.

The Flame was lit for the first time ever at Cape Dezhneva – the eastern most point of the continent and the first part of Russia to greet the dawn - with the first rays of the rising sun over the Russian Federation during a projection show at 05:10 local time.

The first torchbearers in Chukotka were Andrei Gladkov, a 17-year-old Paralympian who won a silver and two bronze swimming medals at London 2012 and Valentina Etton, winner of numerous prizes, competitions and championships in Chukotka in northern decathlon and the daughter of a maritime hunter.

They exchanged the Flame of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, thus kicking off the most unusual and innovative Torch Relay in the history of the Paralympics.

Also on 26 February, Torch Relay lighting ceremonies will kick off in a number of cites of Russia's Far Eastern Federal District: Vladivostok, Yakutsk, Magadan, Anadyr and Khabarovsk.

The Presenting Partners of the Paralympic Torch Relay are the Coca-Cola Company, OSAO "Ingosstrakh" and OAO "Russian Railways" and "VOLKSWAGEN Group Rus."

The Sochi 2014 Paralympic Torch Relay

The upcoming Relay promises to be the most innovative and unusual in the history of the Paralympic Games.

Each day, a Flame will be lit simultaneously in several cities of one of the Russian federal districts.

The method of lighting the Flame will change in each region and be a surprise, since each Torch Lighting Ceremony will be unique: from the sun's rays, from a hammer and anvil, from a Russian stove, and even from a spark of a volcano! The urban stage will feature a unique process of lighting.

More than 1,500 torchbearers and 4,000 volunteers will take part in the Paralympic Torch Relay. The Relay slogan is "Overcoming. Winning. Inspiring."

A unique Paralympic Flame Uniting Ceremony will be held in Sochi on 5 March.

The Relay will conclude at the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games at the Fisht Olympic Stadium on 7 March 2014.

Three special projects are also planned as part of the Relay:

For the first time, a Flame will be lit at Cape Dezhneva - the easternmost point of Russia and all Eurasia and the first part of Russia to greet the dawn. For the first time, one of the legs of the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Torch Relay will be held internationally, in Stoke Mandeville in Great Britain– the town is considered the Paralympic Movement’s spiritual birthplace. The "Russian Knights" Aviation Group will perform aerobatics in the sky over Moscow Region and draw the symbol of the Paralympics – Agitos.

All information about the Paralympic Torch Relay, including the selection of torchbearers, can be found on the special Sochi 2014 Paralympic Torch Relay website: torchrelay.sochi2014.com