Ukrainian law, on Sunday, banned Russian artists from performing in public places, playing their songs in public places or in the media, and importing, distributing and publishing books and journalistic products from Russia, Belarus and “areas not under the control of Kyiv”.
Garislav Zselezniak, a member of the Voice faction, told Telegram that the relevant legislation had been passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. According to the justification of the law banning Russian music Aggressive country music can provoke separatist feelings among the population.
However, Russian music may make embracing Russian identity more attractive, thereby weakening the Ukrainian state. Russian artists who have publicly condemned the Russian operation against Ukraine, as well as Russians who have acquired Ukrainian citizenship and no longer have Russian citizenship, are excluded from the law. Otherwise, Russian musicians will be automatically blacklisted, so the Security Service of Ukraine (SZBU) will compile a separate record for those who will not be banned.
News agencies have indicated that books and journalistic products imported from Russia have been censored in Ukraine since 2016. In addition, the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN reported that the share of Ukrainian-language music in radio programs and the share of Ukrainian-language television programs, especially news, analytical and entertainment programs, is currently raised from 35 percent to 40 percent.
