‘s news about the Ukrainian ballet and the boycott of Russian works spread widely in Russia. Putin’s spokesman Peskov also commented on the story.
Heikki Heiskanen,
Hanna Visala
‘s article about Ukraine’s relationship with Russian ballet has gained wide visibility in the Russian media. In Russia, the matter has been reported in the form that Ukraine has banned Russian ballet.
After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine ordered a boycott of Russian culture and symbols. So the National Ballet no longer performs the Russian composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky works.
Despite the policy of the Ministry of Culture, ballet groups performing Russian works tour the world under the name of Ukraine. Some groups even use a misleading name. For example, The Ukrainian National Ballet of Odessa, which visited Finland last December, has nothing to do with the Odessa National Opera Ballet.
Special interpretations of ‘s news
Russian state RIA Novosti – news agency titled its story like this: “”Pride of Russia”: A new dangerous enemy was found in Ukraine”.
– In Ukraine, the performance of Russian ballet works is prohibited, calling them an instrument of Russia’s “soft power”. At the same time, some local groups have had to “flee abroad” because of the performances, according to a story by the Finnish television and radio company , RIA Novosti writes.
The Vzgljad website makes headlines that Ukrainian ballet groups have to flee abroad to perform, for example, Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Swan Lake.
The site titled: “: Ballet groups are fleeing Ukraine due to the performance of Swan Pond”.
The title does not match the content of ‘s story. In ‘s story, it was reported that ballet groups tour the world in the name of Ukraine, performing the works of the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.
The groups have publicly justified their tours with the fact that Ukrainians the dancers had to flee abroad, among other things, to be able to maintain their professional skills.
According to the Ukrainian industry people interviewed for the story and a Finnish expert, it is about Russia’s soft influence when groups performing in the name of Ukraine perform Tchaikovsky’s works.
Peskov: Russian culture cannot be separated from Ukrainian culture
Thing the representative of the Russian president also commented Dmitry Peskov.
Peskov said that Russian culture is inextricably linked with Ukrainian culture. According to him, the Ukrainian administration’s attempts to sever relations with Russian culture are absurd and stupid, including the banning of Russian ballet.
– It is an extension of such psychosis. In that, the Kiev administration reveals its basic essence again, Peskov said.
Peskov’s the comments were widely circulated in the Russian-language media and received at least 130 mentions.
For years now, the Russian leadership has accused Ukraine of trying to destroy Russian culture in its territory.
Ukraine has not banned Russian ballet directly by law, but Ministry of Culture has called for a boycott of Russian culture and symbols. Minister of Culture of Ukraine Oleksandr Tkachenko has also urged the country western allies to boycott Russian culture, including Tchaikovsky’s works.
During the war, various restrictions on Russian culture have been imposed in Ukraine. The Ukrainian parliament has banned the import of books from Russia and Belarus. Books in Russian from other countries may be imported with a special permit.
It is also forbidden to perform the productions of musicians who were Russian citizens after 1991, unless the musicians have condemned Russia’s war of aggression.
In the summer, the capital city of Kyiv was set by the city council temporary ban for Russian-speaking culture.
‘s story has also been cited in, among other things, the Russian government’s newspaper In Rossiiskaja Gazeta, In the MK afternoon newspaper and on the Gazeta.ru news site.