Putin launches anti-woke Eurovision rival
It's the beloved festival of camp kitsch that shot Abba and Conchita Wurst to stardom. Now, Vladimir Putin wants his own macho version of Eurovision.
But under the isolated Russian president's stern gaze, it is out with bearded drag crooners and anything to do with decadent Western culture.
The despot has ordered his apparatchiks to reboot the Soviet Union's defunct Intervision song contest as an anti-woke rival to the sequin-laden and LGBT-friendly original.
Eurovision was hugely popular in Russia, which won the competition once, in 2008.
But in 2021, Manizha became the last Russian act to perform in the contest, which took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, because the following year, the county was thrown out of the contest after it invaded Ukraine.
Ukraine then went on to win the contest for the third time.
Liliya Gumerova, a Russian senator, told state media on Monday that Intervision would 'promote real music' and 'not fake values that are alien to any normal person'.
She slammed Eurovision for including performers such as Wurst, who won in 2014 with the song Rise Like A Phoenix.
Shirtless and covered in pink ruffles, Switzerland's entry Nemo was crowned the first non-binary singer to win Eurovision in 2024.
The Kremlin was fuming. It has 'surpassed any orgy, revelry or ritual sacrilege', cried Maria Zakharova, Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, condemning the competition as another 'funeral' for Western Europe.
Fun-starved Russians can instead look forward to staid patriotic fare in Moscow later this year, organised under the watchful eye of Dmitry Chernyshenko, the deputy prime minister.
Light-hearted Graham Norton-style commentary will be unlikely as singers drawn from the ranks of communist China and pro-Putin influencers take to the stage to celebrate traditional values.
According to Putin's decree, Intervision will serve to increase the 'development of international cultural and humanitarian cooperation'.
Moscow has attempted to position itself as an 'anti-woke' sanctuary in recent years, offering Western citizens a chance to emigrate to Russia.
Putin said the aim of providing such 'humanitarian aid' was to 'save' those who identify with Russian 'spiritual and moral values' from 'destructive neoliberal ideological attitudes' in the West.
The Kremlin claims almost 20 countries are ready to take part in Intervision, including all the members of the BRICS and CIS blocs.
That includes China, India and Brazil, which have not joined the Western sanctions against Moscow and maintain relations with a pariah president wanted for war crimes.
North Korea, whose soldiers are being forced to fight in Ukraine, already competes in the Own Asiavision Song Contest.
It was not immediately clear who would represent Russia in a contest, which will fall far short of the sexy cheekiness of Buck's Fizz or the smiley joyousness of Space Man singer Sam Ryder.
Many of Russia's most popular musicians have fled the country or been blacklisted after criticising the war in Ukraine.
One candidate who could take centre stage is Shaman, best known for his Ya Russki (I'm Russian) song.
It has been adopted as the unofficial anthem of a nationalist wave that has swept parts of the country since the war in Ukraine. School pupils have been ordered to study the song to 'boost their patriotism'.
Shaman shared the stage with Putin at a concert in Moscow's Red Square in 2022 as the Russian leader described the war in Ukraine as a battle against the 'satanic' West.
Lyube, Putin's favourite rock band, could also play a central role in Intervision.
The band made more money from pro-Kremlin concerts in the first 16 months after the war in Ukraine than in the previous eight years, according to Agentstvo, a Russian news outlet banned by the Kremlin.
Then there are the pro-Putin Z Influencers, named after the letter that shows support for Russia's invasion.
Polina Gagarina, who boasts nine million followers on Instagram, came second in the 2015 Eurovision with peace anthem A Million Voices. Since then the blonde has changed her tune, singing patriotic songs at rallies supporting the invasion of Ukraine.
Singer Yulia Chicherina has been known to perform her songs in occupied Ukraine, often for troops hunkered down in a bunker. On a recent visit to Russian soldiers in occupied Ukraine, she was presented, to her delight, with a stolen Chanel bag, which she posted on social media.
Chicherina, who performed during an event to celebrate the ninth anniversary of Russia's annexation of Crimea, was a relatively unknown indie-rock artist until she resurfaced after Putin seized control of the Ukrainian territory.
'This is a war of orthodoxy against the Antichrist,' she said about the war in Ukraine.
It's not the sort of comment one can imagine Cilla Black or Cliff Richard coming out with back when they were racking up the points for the UK in the 1960s.
Putin previously attempted to launch a 'world festival of friendship' in Russia last year after the country was banned from the Olympics.
The project was postponed indefinitely and many hope the Russian president could soon meet his Waterloo as well.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
32 minutes ago
- CNN
Tanks arrive in DC ahead of US Army parade
Tanks arrive in DC ahead of US Army parade As the 250th anniversary celebration for the US Army approaches, a freight train of tanks was seen making its way into the nation's capital. The long-planned celebration in Washington will coincide with Trump's 79th birthday and include thousands of troops. The Army had said it has no plans to recognize the president's birthday. 00:40 - Source: CNN Why China doesn't need the US auto market If there is one thing to be learned from Auto Shanghai - China's largest automobile show - it's that China has dozens of car brands that can rival Western ones. BYD surpassed Tesla's profits, but other EVs like those made by Zeekr, Xiaomi and Chery are quickly joining the race. CNN's Marc Stewart took a rare test drive of Zeekr's new 7GT. 00:44 - Source: CNN Analysis: Trump is in a crisis of his own making Trump tells President Vladimir Putin to stop after Russia launched its deadliest wave of attacks on Kyiv in nine months. This comes days after Trump said the US would walk out on efforts to make a peace deal in Ukraine if it didn't see progress. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh breaks down the latest. 01:03 - Source: CNN Russia launches strikes across Ukraine Russia launched waves of drones and ballistic missiles at multiple targets across a broad swath of Ukraine overnight killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv and wounding around 40 across the country. 00:32 - Source: CNN German leader on 'terrible' impact of Trump's tariffs In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz talks about the impact President Trump's tariffs are having on the auto industry. 01:13 - Source: CNN Greta Thunberg sails to Gaza Greta Thunberg has set sail with eleven other activists to Gaza. The activist group they're part of, The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, is attempting to bring aid and raise international awareness over the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the territory. 00:59 - Source: CNN Record rain floods Mexico City, traps people Mexico City was hit with record rainfall that didn't relent for more than five hours Monday night, marking the heaviest rain since 2017, according to water management officials. CNN's Valeria León walks a flooded avenue of the nation's capital after emergency crews worked through the night to rescue several trapped drivers. 00:43 - Source: CNN Gaza aid distribution turns deadly for third consecutive day For a third consecutive day, Palestinians came under fire while trying to receive aid from a distribution site in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and Nasser hospital, at least 27 people were killed and dozens injured on June 3. 00:56 - Source: CNN Analysis: Why Ukraine's drone attack on Russia just changed the world CNN's Jim Sciutto explains why Ukraine's large-scale drone attack on Russian air bases thousands of miles behind the front lines struck fear into the heart of every global superpower 01:05 - Source: CNN Tomatoes fly at Colombia's largest food fight Around 20,000 revellers gathered in Sutamarchán, Colombia, to throw over 45 tonnes of tomatoes at each other. The Gran Tomatina festival, now in its 15th year, is hosted to celebrate the economy of Sutamarchán, which is centred around tomato production. Mayor Miguel Andrés Rodríguez said "between 70 and 80 percent of families [in Sutamarchán] live off tomatoes. This is a tribute to them." The festival uses tomatoes which are overripe, or otherwise not suitable for consumption. 00:30 - Source: CNN Palestinians shot dead near Gaza aid hub The Palestinian health ministry, hospital officials and multiple eyewitnesses say deadly gunfire killed dozens of Palestinians near an aid distribution site in Gaza on Sunday, with Israel's military denying that its troops fired 'within or near' the aid site. CNN Jerusalem correspondent Jeremy Diamond brings you up to speed on what we know about the weekend chaos. 02:31 - Source: CNN Palestinians describe deadly shooting near aid center in Gaza CNN spoke to multiple witnesses who recounted the deadly chaos that unfolded near a US-backed aid center in southern Gaza after more than 30 Palestinians were killed and dozens injured on Sunday, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The health ministry blamed the Israeli military for the deaths while other witnesses claimed that local security personnel had also opened fire. Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which runs the aid center, said there had been no gunfire at the site and Israel Defense Forces denied firing on civilians at or close to the site, calling such accusations 'false reports.' 00:55 - Source: CNN Palestinian UN envoy breaks down talking about Gaza's children The Palestinian ambassador to the UN made an emotional address, saying more than 1,300 children have been killed in Gaza since Israel ended the ceasefire in March. 01:19 - Source: CNN Political candidate wears body armor daily CNN's David Culver met César Gutiérrez Priego as he was readying to campaign for office in Mexico City. Gutiérrez Priego, who is running for a seat on the Supreme Court in Mexico, shows Culver the safety precautions he takes with political violence in Mexico at an all-time high. See Culver's full reporting on CNN. 00:53 - Source: CNN Harvard students and faculty speak out against Trump Harvard students and faculty spoke to CNN ahead of commencement as Donald Trump said the university should cap foreign enrollment. The Trump administration has recently sought to cancel $100 million in contracts with the school. 02:03 - Source: CNN Palestinians desperate for food rush US-backed aid site Scores of people rushed over fencing and through barricades in southern Gaza on the first day a US-Israeli-backed aid site was opened. CNN's Jeremy Diamond explains the desperate humanitarian situation that remains in the region. 01:22 - Source: CNN Journalists spit on at Jerusalem Day flag march Ultra-nationalist Israeli Jews chanted anti-Arab slogans as they marched through Jerusalem's Old City to mark Jerusalem Day. CNN's Oren Liebermann describes heavy police presence on the ground. Members of the crowd were seen spitting on journalists, including a CNN producer. 01:50 - Source: CNN Finland's president responds to Russian military activity along border CNN's Erin Burnett speaks with Finland's President Alexander Stubb about his country ramping up its military to deter potential Russian aggression. 02:16 - Source: CNN King Charles stresses Canada's 'self determination' amid pressure from US King Charles III delivered the ceremonial Speech from the Throne in the Canadian Senate. The address marks only the second time in Canadian history that the reigning sovereign has opened parliament, and the third time that the British monarch has delivered the address. 00:42 - Source: CNN Huge ship refloated after nearly crashing into house A larger container ship has been refloated after nearly crashing into a house in Norway. According to local police, the navigator had fallen asleep at the helm. 00:42 - Source: CNN Vehicle plows into crowd in Liverpool Police in the United Kingdom say a man has been arrested after a car plowed into Liverpool fans celebrating during the soccer club's Premier League trophy parade. 01:14 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Zelensky says he understands Putin ‘much better' than Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian officials understand Russian leader Vladimir Putin 'much better' than President Trump, who has repeatedly said Putin wants peace, even as he rejects U.S. proposals for a ceasefire. 'With all due respect to President Trump, I think it's just his personal opinion,' Zelensky told Martha Raddatz on ABC's 'This Week' in an interview that aired Sunday morning. 'Trust me, we understand the Russians much better, the mentality of the Russians, than the Americans understand the Russians. I know for sure Putin doesn't want to stop the war.' Zelensky also took issue with Trump's comments in the Oval Office this week comparing Ukraine and Russia to children fighting. 'We are not playing in the park with the Russians like two boys, two kids. Putin is not a kid,' Zelensky said. 'So we can't compare, and we cannot say, 'OK, let them fight for a while.'' 'And it's not about President Trump,' he added. 'Anyone living thousands of miles away can't fully understand the pain, even parents who live in Ukraine cannot feel the pain of those who lost their children.' Ukraine stunned Russia last weekend with drone attacks on Russian air bases, which it said destroyed dozens of bombers. The drones were smuggled into Russia on 18-wheeler trucks, which were parked near military bases and remotely opened ahead of the attack. Trump spoke with Putin on Wednesday, telling reporters that Russia planned to retaliate for the drone strikes. Russia killed five people in Ukraine in drone attacks the next day. Raddatz asked Zelensky if he believed Trump thinks Russia is winning the war. 'I think he's publicly said about it, and I know that he shared this information with some people around him, and I think the separation — and I said it a lot of times, it's not true. It's not a victory when you spent, really spent 1 million people,' he said. Zelensky added that Trump 'must' impose stronger sanctions on Russia. Trump this week said he had yet to look at Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) Russia sanctions bill, which is co-sponsored by more than 80 senators, but the president said senators would not move without his blessing. Senators in both parties are itching for the green light. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters that the bill could hit the floor during the current four-week work period. '[The White House is] still hopeful they'll be able to strike some sort of a deal, but … there's a high level of interest here in the Senate on both sides of the aisle in moving on it,' he said. 'I think a genuine interest in doing something to make clear to Russia that they need to come to the table … I think that would have a big impact.' The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Russia plans multi-pronged attack on Ukraine following drone strikes, US officials say
Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv Saturday, as US officials warned that Moscow plans a multi-pronged assault on Ukraine. Russia has escalated strikes on Ukrainian urban centers in recent weeks as peace talks between the two sides have stalled; the fresh onslaught on Kharkiv was 'the most powerful attack' since 2022, its mayor said. Despite the bombardment, Washington believes the Kremlin's retaliation for Ukraine's drone strike on Russian bombers last weekend hasn't yet happened in earnest, Reuters reported. 'It will be huge, vicious and unrelenting,' one Western diplomat said, with analysts predicting Russia will target Ukrainian government buildings.
