Protest Putin's soft power in the U.S.
Protest Putin's soft power in the U.S.
On November 13th, the Russian embassy in cooperation with Kennan Institute is holding a reception followed by a concert called "A concert for unity" featuring a conductor Valeri Gergiev and a pianist Denis Matsuev. Both are famous musicians from Russia and long-time supporters of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. They both are parts of Putin's "soft power" - economic and cultural influence to promote Putin's Russia and persuade for a dialog with Kremlin. In the meantime, in 2014 they both signed a letter in support of Putin's annexation of Crimea and policies towards Ukraine. In 2016 Gergiev and Putin's friend and a cellist Sergei Roldugin, whose offshore funds were revealed in the leaked Panama papers archive, both performed in Russia-occupied city of Palmyra in Syria while Putin's bombers were killing civilians in Aleppo. In 2008 Gergiev performed in Russia-occupied South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali after Putin's aggression against Georgia.
Here is the link to the reception/concert:
https://goo.gl/h7U8mB
Obviously, it is another attempt of the Putin's regime to present the regime to the Washington's establishment as being cultural and civilized. We are gathering at the Cathedral before the reception to show a different face of Putin - tortured and killed dissents in Russia, thousands killed and millions displaced Ukrainians and Syrians, the regime's gross human rights violations and hostility towards the neighbors and the Western world. A dialogue about unity can start only after returning Crimea back to Ukraine, withdrawing the Russian troops from Eastern Ukraine and Syria and releasing all political prisoners in Russia including Ukrainian citizens. Otherwise, the Putin's regime will face tougher sanctions and deeper isolation.
Posted by Alexey Immorta Potapov on 13 ноя 2017, 15:13