Ukrainians protest Russian ballet tour in Germany

Ukrainian activists held a protest against the Russian ballet’s tour in Germany on Jan. 10 and 11, reports Suspilne.

Norman Heidenreich, one of the organizers, explained that since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Moscow State Ballet has been performing under the name Grand Classic Ballet, whereas it previously toured Germany as the Moscow State Russian Ballet.

“For us, this is primarily about showing transparently that behind the name ‘classical ballet’ is the Moscow State Ballet, and there is a real risk that proceeds from these performances go to the Russian state and help fund Putin’s war,” Heidenreich said.

Despite the protests, the Russian ballet performances went ahead as planned. Organizers promised to continue their demonstrations in support of Ukraine.

“Our initiative has held protests every Sunday for four years. We believe it is important to draw attention to who is allowed to perform in our municipal cultural spaces,” he added.

According to Heidenreich, this was the 206th protest in solidarity with Ukraine.

“We organized our first rally in Weimar on the evening the Russian military aggression began. Around 500 people gathered on the theater square, including the minister and the president. Since then, we have held weekly protests to inform the public about the connection between culture and war,” the activist said.

The Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) announced the launch of the campaign Stand With Ukraine: Protect Future Generations, marking the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. All events, including actions leading up to Feb. 24, will be mapped online.