The Culture Ministry has accused the artists of promoting Russian culture by performing ‘Swan Lake’ during a European tour
RT: Ukrainian ballerina Natalia Matsak performing Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake' on November 26, 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland. © Getty Images / Lionel FLUSIN; Gamma-Rapho
Two
principal dancers with the National Opera of Ukraine reportedly face
dismissal for performing a work by legendary Russian composer Pyotr
Tchaikovsky during a European tour, according to Ukrainian media
reports.
Natalia Matsak and Sergey Krivokon will reportedly be
fired for dancing in ‘Swan Lake’ while on personal leave. According to
Strana.ua, the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture said it became aware of the
performances “from social networks,” and accused the artists of “distributing the cultural product of the aggressor country” by performing the classic work of the renowned 19th-century Russian composer.
In its statement, the ministry said the dancers “violated the general fundamental position of the artists of the National Opera of Ukraine – the removal from the current repertoire of works by Russian composers,” according to the outlet.
Media reports indicate
that the artists’ biographies have already been removed from the
theatre’s official website, signaling impending disciplinary action.
Matsak previously criticized the removal of Russian classics from Ukrainian stages, arguing that “if we want to communicate with the world in one language, then we must respect the global heritage,” warning that rejecting the classical repertoire has caused “colossal damage” to ballet artists.
The
incident comes amid a wider campaign by the Ukrainian authorities to
eliminate Russian cultural influence that was launched after the
Western-backed 2014 Maidan coup and escalated in 2022. Kiev has removed
Tchaikovsky’s name from the National Music Academy, dismantled monuments
to him and other Russian cultural and literary figures, and demanded
that streaming services ban Russian music. Officials have described this
as a “decolonization” process, labeling figures like Tchaikovsky as symbols of “Russian imperial policy.”
Moscow
has condemned these policies, arguing that discrimination against
Russian language and culture is one of the root causes of the ongoing
conflict, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stating that
the crackdown has transcended “all the bounds of good and evil.”