The Russian-Austrian star soprano Anna Netrebko has been subject to extensive sanctions in Ukraine. This emerges from a decree by President Volodymyr Zelenskyj published on Saturday. Accordingly, sanctions such as entry bans or asset freezes were imposed on a total of 119 Russians and Ukrainians. In addition to Netrebko, the list includes the Kremlin’s chief ideologist Alexander Dugin and the head of state broadcaster RT, Marita Simonyan.
Netrebko is said to be close to Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, who arranged a birthday show for her in the Kremlin Palace six months before the start of the war. The fact that she had been photographed with the flag of the pro-Russian separatists in Donbas caused criticism. After the beginning of the Ukraine war and in the course of cancellations of concerts and opera performances in Western countries, she distanced herself from Putin in writing, which in turn brought her criticism and performance cancellations in Russia.
Chief ideologue of the Kremlin
The list is based on a decision by the Ukrainian Security Council. According to a report by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform Singers, TV presenters and actors are among those affected. The list also includes the Kremlin’s chief ideologue, Alexander Dugin.
The government, security authorities and the National Bank were commissioned to implement the measures. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should also “inform the competent authorities of the European Union, the United States and other countries about the application of the sanctions and encourage them to impose similar restrictive measures”.
The list also includes singer Polina Gagarina, known to an international public since her song contest appearance in 2015. At the singing competition held in Vienna, Gagarina came second, with votes cast for her being greeted with loud boos from the audience. Gagarina burst into tears and was comforted by co-host and last year’s winner Conchita. In March 2022, after the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Gagarina sang at a major concert in Moscow that “celebrated” the eighth anniversary of Russia’s illegal appropriation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.