Kyiv slams Paris shows by Netrebko, others tied to Putin as part of ‘propaganda season’

In a post on its official Facebook page, the embassy said it had received “shocked and outraged” reactions to the theater’s program.

“We’re seeing what looks like a full-fledged Russian propaganda season taking shape,” Ukrainian diplomats wrote.

Among the invited performers are Russian artists who, the embassy said, have “used their voices and hands to support the war machine.” The list includes soprano Anna Netrebko, pianist Alexandra Dovgan, pianist Grigory Sokolov, pianist Nikolai Lugansky, and pianist Dmitry Masleev.

The embassy noted that some of these performers had appeared before Russian troops and received awards directly from Vladimir Putin for promoting “imperialist, colonial, and deadly propaganda.”

“Russian culture is as much a weapon as missiles and tanks,” the embassy stated. “It’s part of the Kremlin’s propaganda war.”

“By supporting the aggression, Russian artists justify the invasion and amplify imperial narratives,” the diplomats added. “As Russia commits genocide — freezing millions, launching strikes, occupying land, destroying heritage, and torturing artists — portraying its culture as ‘neutral’ is a cynical whitewash.”

The embassy said it had already appealed to France’s Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Culture to stop the performances.

Diplomats also pointed out that Le Voyage en Ukraine (“A Journey Through Ukraine”), the official Ukrainian cultural season in France, is currently underway.

“While Ukrainian artists tell the truth about war and resistance,” the statement said, “showcasing Russian performers in central Paris under the banner of art looks like a deliberate provocation.”