In March 2014 five hundred Russian artists and cultural figures (511, to be exact) signed a collective letter in support of President Putin’s order to use the military against Ukraine. As a result of that order, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula. It was the first annexation of another european country’s territory since World War II. Also, it triggered a violent war in Eastern Ukraine.

Those artists who signed that letter supported not only taking over territory of another country, but also all consequences of that action: thousands of deaths, millions of refugees, oppression of the native Crimean people and their culture.

Art and artist’s reputation cannot be used to whitewash tyranny, oppression and war!