What could be more incongruous than the feared Russian Interior Ministry police force singing Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” in full uniform?

Not much, but it was all par for the course at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on Friday.

Most of the police Folk Song and Dance Ensemble stayed in rigid rows for the disco hit but two of the lead singers got funky with some dance moves on the stage.

The all-male choir were formally attired in military-style uniforms and many sported impressive moustaches.

A previous video of the group rehearsing the disco hit for a Kremlin function went viral last year and they are also known for their rendition of Adele’s theme for James Bond film Skyfall.

The bewildering three-hour opening ceremony centred on the theme of love, seemingly immune to the irony of the sentiment amid international condemnation of Russia’s anti-gay laws.

A technical glitch threatened to mar the start of the show when one of the Olympic rings lowered into the stadium failed to open.

“When we set out on this journey we tried to break down stereotypes to reveal a new Russia to the world,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko, the president of Sochi 2014.