2022-03-13 13:15:31
Dear colleagues,
dear John,
Thank you for sharing Yuilia`s letter. Unfortunately I won't be able to be presented at the emergency meeting as I don't feel like my presence is important. I don't want to look like a "bad Ukrainian" who doesn't want to support a "good Russian artist". Because I will not support a Russian artist (even with an Israel passport).
As you probably know the war with Russia started 8 years ago when Russian troops (unmarked green soldiers) invaded and occupied Crimea and a big part of Eastern Ukraine. No civilized country has recognized Crimea under the jurisdiction of Russia. The same with occupied Donbass regions. It is Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by Russia.
All these years our President and Government did their best in order to return Ukrainian territories. So do we - Ukrainian artists. What did Russian artists do? They started organizing vacations and summer camps (including dance camps) in Crimea when it was officially announced illegal by the Ukrainian Government. Because Crimea is a part of Ukraine occupied by Russia. It is illegal to visit Crimea any other way than from Ukrainian territory. What did Russian artists do??? They don`t care. Now ask yourself - do they support Putin? No? No? You think they just need a place to dance?
Now look here, please. There are two ways this war may be finished.
First - Ukraine will be beaten and occupied by Russia. Men will be killed because we are soldiers and we will fight. That also means that all Europe will be beaten. That`s not going to be the defeat of Ukraine. That`s going to be the defeat of the whole of Europe. The defeat of each of you. Russia will celebrate the victory. Then they will go to Poland. Or start bombing the Great Britain. Don`t you think??? And you will invite Russian artists because they are out of politics, won`t you? They are just artists. And they didn't support Putin. They just celebrated the Crimea is OURS!
Second - Ukraine will win. Which means - you also win. Because of your support and solidarity. Ukraine lost I don`t know how much of its population. The roads, buildings and cities were destroyed by Russia. And Russia is behind the New Iron Curtain. We may celebrate the victory, yes???.
But... Russian artists((( They are so terribly abused by Putin. We probably need to rescue them. At least some of them. Because now it seems like all of them have never supported Putin. Can you imagine this? They never voted for him. They just wanted to be artists.
What did they do all these years?
Why didn't they create political performances (some of them did)?
Why didn't they appeal to Russian people?
Why didn't they protest on the streets?
Why did they stop the protests if Putin's government is fascists?
In both cases Russian artists are so much pained and injured. They just want to be artists. But what about the role of art and the role of artists? What do they mean "being an artist" in the country led by fascists?
And last but not the least. What about Great Russian literature? Great Russian theatre? Poetry?? Culture?? All of these mean nothing if 100% of Russians are reading, watching, listening to it but support Putin, believe Putin and help him to kill Ukrainians. So what about this Great Russian Culture??? Matryoshka? Samovar? Valenki? Vodka? Dostoevskiy? Tolstoy? Great Russian Ballet?
I believe you will have a productive meeting and I respect any decision you will make. But there is only one decision I might support.
best from Kyiv,
Anton
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