Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-25

[Syt]

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-60514388

Eurovision: Russia can compete despite invasion of Ukraine

Russia will be allowed to participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, despite launching a military assault on neighbouring Ukraine.

Organisers called the competition a "non-political cultural event" and said they were "currently planning" to host entrants from both Russia and Ukraine at the event this May.

"We of course will continue to monitor the situation closely," they added.

Ukraine's state broadcaster UA:PBC had called for Russia to be suspended.

It said the Russian broadcasters, who oversee the county's participation in the contest, had been "a mouthpiece for the Kremlin and a key tool of political propaganda" and had taken part in "systematic dissemination of disinformation" against Ukraine.

It said this is "contrary" to the values of the EBU.

Russia's delegation has yet to respond to their comments.

Tensions between the two countries have overshadowed previous editions of the song contest.

Russia were favourites to win the competition in 2016, until Ukrainian singer Jamala stole a last-minute victory with a song that depicted the deportation of Crimean Tatars by Josef Stalin in 1944 - a horrific chapter that the nation's parliament has described as tantamount to genocide.

The lyrics were widely interpreted as a criticism of Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Jamala, who is herself a Crimean Tartar, appeared to confirm the link when she told the press: "The main message is to remember and to know this story. When we know, we prevent."

On the path to victory, her song picked up several important votes from former Soviet countries who traditionally vote for Russia. Eurovision expert John Kennedy O'Connor called the result "a pointed slap in Russia's face".

A year later, Russian contestant Julia Samoylova was blocked from entering Ukraine, which was hosting the competition, because she had reportedly toured Crimea without entering it through the border with the Ukrainian mainland.

The Ukrainian government considers people who enter the territory via Russia to have crossed the border illegally.

Russian television station Channel One then announced it would not broadcast the contest or take part.

This year's Eurovision is due to take place in Turin, after Italian rock band Maneskin won the 2021 contest.

Russia has yet to put forward a contestant, while Ukraine has selected hip-hop trio Kalush Orchestra, whose song Stefania was written as a tribute to their mothers.

The band replaced the country's original contestant, Alina Pash, who withdrew last week after facing scrutiny over a trip she made to Russia-controlled Crimea in 2015.

There is no suggestion that Pash entered Crimea from Russia, but she said the controversy over her visit had overshadowed her participation in the contest.

Russian forces entered Ukraine on Wednesday night, with explosions in cities across the country, airstrikes on military targets and reports of troops crossing the border by land and sea.

The invasion has been met with condemnation from world leaders around the globe. Countries including the US and UK have announced that they will be imposing sanctions on Russia.

However, Eurovision organisers insisted the competition should be free from politics, as it "unites nations and celebrates diversity through music".

Their response was criticised by Sweden's state broadcaster SVT.

"The EBU needs to rethink this," SVT's CEO Hanna Stjärne said in a statement. "I sympathise with the basic idea of ​​Eurovision as an apolitical event. But the situation in Europe is extremely serious with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It crosses all boundaries.

"We have called on the EBU to change course and will follow the development closely."

Meanwhile, Jamala called on Eurovision fans not to ignore Russia's actions in Ukraine.

"I don't know how this is possible, but they bombed peaceful people," she said in an Instagram video. "Please support Ukraine. Stop Russian aggression."

[Sheilbh]

Cultural sanctions now

[Syt]

What's the substance of the sanctions?

I'd like to see an official document on it to be frank, Biden spoke in fairly large generalizations, not specifics. The claims he made were:

-Cut Russia off from transacting in foreign currencies
-Cut Russia off from getting financing from most Western countries
-Cut Russia off from vague high-technology products it needs to military modernization

He did mention "gas payments" are not being affected.

German paper Zeit reports that Canada is suspending all export licenses to Russia. They'll also bump up the priority of immigration applications from Ukraine.

[Jacob]

For reference, here's an overview of Russian imports and exports by country: https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/russia/tradestats

[Sheilbh]

Incidentally Putin had a meeting today with Russia's "business leaders" in the same hall as the security council:


Max Seddon of the Guardian ran through the list and said that of the people in that room there's only one "classic" oligarch left. The vast majority are running state owned companies, or companies with lots of state support and most of them have a KGB background. I think that reinforces what I was thinking about oligarchs not being the route/lever that I think they used to be early in Putin's regime - I think the securocrats are far more in charge and have a different set of priorities even if they are technically in business now.

[Sheilbh]

For reference, here's an overview of Russian imports and exports by country: https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/russia/tradestats

Really baffled by the Netherlands?

[OttoVonBismarck]

It's sad sometimes how I've played too many Paradox games I sometimes think of allegories to them. The situation with Putin / oligarchs is similar to when a new King takes over in CK2, and you have a lot of quasi-loyal vassals, but 20 years later the ones who proved disloyal have been "handled" and replaced with handpicked loyalists, and the long reign bonus to relations has firmed up overall support.

[mongers]

For reference, here's an overview of Russian imports and exports by country: https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/russia/tradestats

Really baffled by the Netherlands?

Can't see the charts/stats, but likely in part due to their significant food processing industry??

[Jacob]

According to the link I just posted, the Netherlands is Russia's second largest export market - after China - at $44.8 billion and 10.5% of all exports (compared to 13.4% for China). Do any of you know what's going on there?

On imports, China's at the top with 21.9%. Belarus is at 5.5%. But most of the rest are Western countries. Adding up Germany, US, Italy, Japan, France, South Korea, and Poland is 32.4% of their imports.

[Jacob]

For reference, here's an overview of Russian imports and exports by country: https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/russia/tradestats

Really baffled by the Netherlands?

Yeah, I'm curious about that too.

[Syt]

[OttoVonBismarck]

Netherlands has a number of oil refineries no? Maybe it's a hub for crude imports from Russia for that reason.

[celedhring]

For reference, here's an overview of Russian imports and exports by country: https://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/russia/tradestats

Really baffled by the Netherlands?

Yeah, I'm curious about that too.

I suspect tax shelter shenanigans.

[Jacob]

More googling - it's mostly raw materials:

Mineral, fuels, oils, distillation products account for more than $9 billion in 2020. The next one down is iron and steel for a little over $200 million.

https://tradingeconomics.com/netherlands/imports/russia

EDIT: apparently the Netherlands imported $12 (yes, that's twelve dollars) worth of silk from Russia in 2012

[Sheilbh]

I suspect tax shelter shenanigans.

Yeah I wondered if it was corporate entity but then checked and Luxembourg was very low on the list.

It looks like its petrochemicals going through Rotterdam.