Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n intelligentsia expressed various reactions to the Russian annexation of Crimea.

Supporting the annexation

First letter of support

Over 100 cultural figures signed a letter supporting Russia's return of Crimea. Among those who signed it were conductor

Yuri Bashmet Yuri Abramovich Bashmet (russian: link=no, Юрий Абрамович Башмет; born 24 January 1953) is a Russian conductor, violinist, and violist. Biography Yuri Bashmet was born on 24 January 1953 in Rostov-on-Don in the family of A ...

, film director

Fyodor Bondarchuk Fyodor Sergeyevich Bondarchuk (russian: link=no, Фёдор Сергеевич Бондарчук ; born 9 May 1967) is a Russian film director, actor, TV and film producer, clipmaker, TV host, founder of production company Art Pictures Studio. ...

, director

Stanislav Govorukhin Stanislav Sergeyevich Govorukhin (russian: Станислав Сергеевич Говорухин; 29 March 1936 – 14 June 2018) was a Soviet and Russian film director, actor, screenwriter, producer and politician. He was named People's Artis ...

, film director

Karen Shakhnazarov Karen Georgievich Shakhnazarov, PAR (russian: Каре́н Гео́ргиевич Шахназа́ров; born 8 July 1952) is a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. He became the Director General of Mosfilm studios in 1998. ...

, actor

Sergey Bezrukov Sergey Vitalyevich Bezrukov (russian: link=no, Серге́й Вита́льевич Безру́ков, born 18 October 1973) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor, singer, People's Artist of Russia, the laureate of the State Prize of th ...

, singer

Lev Leshchenko Lev Valerianovich Leshchenko (russian: link=no, Лев Валерьянович Лещенко; born 1 February 1942), is a Russian singer, who is best known for his rendition of "Den Pobedy" and the 1980 Summer Olympics closing ceremony theme ...

, sculptor

Alexander Bourganov Alexander Nikolayevich Bourganov (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Бурга́нов; Born 1935) is a Russian sculptor, a National Artist of Russia, and a member of the Russian Academy of Fine Arts. His recent works include ...

, sculptor

Zurab Tsereteli Zurab Konstantinovich Tsereteli ( ka, ზურაბ კონსტანტინეს ძე წერეთელი, russian: Зураб Константинович Церетели; born 4 January 1934) is a Georgian-Russian painter, sc ...

, and actor

Dmitry Kharatyan Dmitry Vadimovich Kharatyan (born 21 January 1960) is a Soviet and Russian actor of Armenian descent, People's Artist of Russia. Was born in Olmaliq, Uzbek SSR on 21 January 1960. His debut as an actor came in Vladimir Menshov's ''Practical Jok ...

. The letter was kept open to add signatures and eventually reached 511.

Reaction to the letter

The name of the famous theatre and film director

Mark Zakharov Mark Anatolyevich Zakharov (russian: Марк Анатольевич Захаров; 13 October 1933 – 28 September 2019) was a Soviet and Russian stage and film director, screenwriter and pedagogue best known for his fantasy parable movies. He ...

appeared on a petition opposing Russian accession of Crimea, however, he himself denied ever signing it. He stated in an interview that he opposed Russian soldiers being deployed to Ukraine as it reminded him the start of the Afghanistan conflict, however, he also couldn't imagine Russia without Crimea. He also stated that had he been offered to sign a letter supporting the accession, he would've signed it. Director and actor

Vladimir Menshov Vladimir Valentinovich Menshov (russian: Влади́мир Валенти́нович Меньшо́в; 17 September 1939 – 5 July 2021)Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

, expressed support of the annexation by stating, "Finally Russia has moved from words to actions." He was blacklisted in Ukraine as a result. Other prominent figures to support the annexation of Crimea and as a result getting blacklisted in Ukraine were actress

Irina Alfyorova Irina Ivanovna Alfyorova PARYuri Loza, actor

Valentin Gaft Valentin Iosifovich Gaft (russian: Валенти́н Ио́сифович Гафт; 2 September 1935 – 12 December 2020) was a Soviet and Russian actor. He was People's Artist of the RSFSR (1984). Biography Early life and education Gaft was ...

, comedian Mikhail Zadornov, and winner of the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

director

Nikita Mikhalkov Nikita Sergeyevich Mikhalkov (russian: Никита Сергеевич Михалков; born 21 October 1945) is a Soviet and Russian filmmaker, actor, and head of the Russian Cinematographers' Union. Mikhalkov is a three-time laureate of the ...

. Director

Alexander Mitta Alexander Naumovich Mitta (russian: Алекса́ндр Нау́мович Митта́; born 28 March 1933 in Moscow) is a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian film director, screenwriter and actor. Mitta's birth name was Alexander Naumovich Rabino ...

expressed support of the return of Crimea to Russia; however, Mitta also said that he didn't like the fact that it was used as a way to distract the Russian population of the internal problems Russia was facing.

Rock musicians in support of the annexation

The annexation of Crimea divided the Russian rock community to supporters and opposition to the move. Former

Aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

leader and current leader of the band

Kipelov Kipelov ( rus, Кипе́лов) is a Russian Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed and led by former Aria (band), Aria vocalist Valery Kipelov. Origins In 2002, dissension in the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Aria (band), Aria led to ...

Valery Kipelov Valery Alexandrovich Kipelov (Russian: Валерий Александрович Кипелов; born July 12, 1958) is a Russian musician and composer who was the vocalist and a founding member of heavy metal band Aria. Since 2002, Kipelov lea ...

, expressed support of the annexation, and stated that it should've been done in 1991. He performed at music festivals celebrating the event in Crimea.

Konstantin Kinchev Konstantin Evgenievich Kinchev (Panfilov) (russian: link=no, Константи́н Евге́ньевич Ки́нчев (Панфи́лов); born December 25, 1958) is a Russian rock singer, musician, frontman and the main songwriter for the Ru ...

and his band

Alisa Alisa is a female given name, a version of Alice in used in Russia, Finland, Estonia and other countries. Notable people with the names Alisa and Alissa include: Alisa People *Alisa Agafonova (born 1991), Ukrainian former competitive ice dancer ...

, considered to be among the pioneers of

Russian rock Rock music became known in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and quickly broke free from its Western roots. According to many music critics, its "golden age" years were the 1980s (especially the era of perestroika), when the Soviet underground roc ...

, expressed support of the move, and cancelled all of his concerts in Ukraine. Kinchev had already expressed views supporting the return of Crimea to Russia in 2008. Among the other prominent figures in

who expressed support of the move included

Chaif Chaif (Чайф) is a Russian rock band formed in 1984 in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg), Russia, by Vladimir Shakhrin and Vladimir Begunov. Their name is derived from the word ''chai'', meaning tea, and ''kaif'' (slang word), meaning pleasure. ...

, Chicherina,

Alexander F. Sklyar Alexander Felixovich Sklyar (Александр Феликсович Скляр, born March 7, 1958, in Moscow, USSR; usually stylized as Alexander F.Sklyar) is a Russians, Russian rock musician, radio presenter, actor and author. Sklyar, who in t ...

, and

Vadim Samoylov Vadim ( Cyrillic: Вадим) is a Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Slovene masculine given name derived either from the Persian ''badian'' (anise or aniseed), or from the Ruthenian word ''volod'' (russian: волод), meaning ''to rule'' or ''vadit ...

(ex-

Agatha Christie Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, (; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictiona ...

). Many rock concerts have been organised in Crimea following the annexation.

Opposing the annexation

First letter of protest

Russian scientists and artists who disagreed with Russian government policy in Crimea, announced their opposition in an open letter: ''"Our country has been plunged into a dangerous adventure. Under the slogan "Defend the Russian in Crimea, as well as all Ukrainians from the new illegitimate, fascist government in Ukraine!", an actual annexation of the Crimea has already happened. International law was heavily violated and principles of European security and stability were destroyed. Russia is rapidly slipping into a new Cold War with the West and there are dangerous consequences that cannot be predicted."'' ''"There is unrestrained flow of lies and disinformation in all Russian state media resources, as well as deafening propaganda campaign against anyone who tries to doubt the legitimacy of the authorities' actions or indicate their disastrous consequences for the country and people. All who disagree indiscriminately get called a "fifth column" and "fascists". There are a lot of people who disagree. It is enough to read uncensored media or numerous judgments in social networks to see that political scientists, economists, people who are professionally related to foreign policy, or just people that are endowed with any social intuition are warning that Russia is coming to a real catastrophe — economic, political, humanitarian."'' The letter was published in "

Echo of Moscow Echo of Moscow (russian: links=no, Эхо Москвы, translit=Ekho Moskvy) was a 24/7 commercial Russian radio station based in Moscow. It broadcast in many Russian cities, some of the former Soviet republics (through partnerships with local ra ...

", "

Novaya Gazeta ''Novaya Gazeta'' ( rus, Новая газета, t=New Gazette, p=ˈnovəjə ɡɐˈzʲetə) is an independent Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian political and social affairs. It is published in Mo ...

" and "Russian

PEN Center PEN International (known as International PEN until 2010) is a worldwide association of writers, founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere. The association has autonomous Internation ...

"Do not cave in. Do not succumb to lies"

Another open letter headlined ''"Do not cave in. Do not succumb to lies"'' was signed by 180 representatives of different professions, including: Yuri Ryzhov (of the

Russian Academy of Science The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; russian: Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (РАН) ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across t ...

Andrey Makarevich Andrey Vadimovich Makarevich PAR (russian: link=no, Андре́й Вади́мович Макаре́вич; born 11 December 1953 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union) is a Soviet and Russian rock musician and the founder of Russia's oldest ...

(musician),

Yuri Shevchuk Yuri Yulianovich Shevchuk (russian: Юрий Юлианович Шевчук; born 16 May 1957) is a Soviet and Russian rock musician and singer/songwriter who leads the rock band DDT, which he founded with Vladimir Sigachyov in 1980. He is bes ...

(musician),

Andrey Zvyagintsev Andrey Petrovich Zvyagintsev (russian: Андре́й Петро́вич Звя́гинцев, p=ˈzvʲæɡʲɪntsɨf; born 6 February 1964) is a Russian film director and screenwriter. His film '' The Return'' (2003) won him a Golden Lion at ...

(film director), Marietta Chudakova (writer, literary historian) and Vadim Zakharov (artist).

Anti-war Congress

On March 19, 2014, an "Anti-war Congress" took place at the M.I. Rudomino State Library for Foreign Literature. An appeal, adopted by resolution of the Congress, stated: ''"We, the representatives of the Russian intelligentsia, must warn the government about the historical mistake that is happening — the desire of taking under control part of another, recently brotherly Ukraine, by using Russian armed forces."'' Sergei Markov, a member of ''Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation'', commented on the results of the congress and called its participants "representatives of a "

Russophobic Anti-Russian sentiment, commonly referred to as Russophobia, is dislike or fear of Russia, the Russians, Russian culture. or Russian policy. The Collins English Dictionary defines it as intense and often irrational hatred of Russia. It is the ...

" subculture that do not pose any danger to the country".

KinoSoyuz letter

On March 12, 2014, KinoSoyuz (an organization of the Russian film industry) published an open letter of support for their Ukrainian colleagues on its website. By 13 March 2014, the letter had been co-signed by more than 200 people.

Individual opinions

* On March 1, 2014, the newspaper ''

Vedomosti ''Vedomosti'' ( rus, Ведомости, p=ˈvʲedəməsʲtʲɪ, ) is a Russian language, Russian-language business journalism, business daily newspaper published in Moscow. History ''Vedomosti'' was founded in 1999 as a joint venture between ...

'' published an article entitled "It has already happened", in which historian Andrey Zubov, drew parallels with the Nazi occupation of Austria in 1938.Андрей Зубов: Это уже было
.

. 01.03.2014 * On March 12, 2014, in an interview on "

Dozhd TV Rain ( rus, Дождь, Dozhd, p=ˈdoʂtʲ, a=Ru-дождь (doʂtʲ).ogg; stylized ДОДЬ) is an independent Russian television channel. It was launched in 2010 in Russia, and since 2022 was based in Latvia. It focuses on news, discussio ...

" TV, director of "Estrada Theater" Gennady Khazanov and the president of the Documentary Film Festival

Vitaly Mansky Vitaly Vsevolodovich Mansky (russian: Виталий Всеволодович Манский, uk, Віталій Всеволодович Манський; born 2 December 1963 in Lviv, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union) is a Russian documentary f ...

, shared their thoughts about support or disagreement with Russian government policy.Как крымский вопрос расколол российское общество? Мнение подписавшего письмо за украинскую политику Путина и против неё
.

. 12.03.2014 * March 24, 2014 musician

and director

Vladimir Bortko Vladimir Vladimirovich Bortko (russian: Владимир Владимирович Бортко; born 7 May 1946) is a Russian film director, screenwriter, producer and politician. He was a member of the State Duma between 2011 and 2021, and was aw ...

, expressed opposing views on the Crimean crisis, when answering the "Reporter" online newspaper journalists' questions. * Director

Alexander Sokurov Alexander Nikolayevich Sokurov, PAR (russian: link=no, Александр Николаевич Сокуров; born 14 June 1951) is a Russian filmmaker. His most significant works include a feature film, ''Russian Ark'' (2002), filmed in a s ...

made another letter of support for Ukraine.

Responses

Support for Russian policy

After an open letter of support for Russian policy in Crimea was published, on March 11, 2014 a response from Ukraine appeared. * A Denis Matsuyev concert In

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...

was canceled. * Musician

was deprived of title of Honorary Professor at the

Lviv Conservatory Lviv National Musical Academy named after Mykola Lysenko ( uk, Львівська національна музична академія імені Миколи Лисенка) or informally Lviv Conservatory is a state conservatory located in Lv ...

Opposition to Russian policy

* Professor and historian Andrey Zubov was fired from the

Moscow State Institute of International Relations Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) (russian: Московский государственный институт международных отношений (МГИМО), also known as MGIMO University) is an institute of ...

for an article in which he criticized Russian policy in Ukraine. * On March 15, 2014,

took part in the Moscow "March of Peace". There was subsequently a proposal to strip Makarevich of his

Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" The Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (russian: Орден «За заслуги перед Отечеством», ''Orden "Za zaslugi pered Otechestvom"'') is a state decoration of the Russian Federation. It was instituted on 2 March 1994 by P ...

for participation in the march. ''

Moskovsky Komsomolets ''Moskovskij Komsomolets'' (russian: Московский комсомолец, lit=Moscow Komsomolets) is a Moscow-based daily newspaper with a circulation approaching one million, covering general news. Founded in 1919, it is famed for its to ...

'' devoted several articles to the topic. * In May, 2014, criminal proceedings were initiated against Russian poet Alexander Byvshev for writing poems that support Ukraine. * A bill was introduced in the

State Duma The State Duma (russian: Госуда́рственная ду́ма, r=Gosudárstvennaja dúma), commonly abbreviated in Russian as Gosduma ( rus, Госду́ма), is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, while the upper house ...

promising heavier penalties for violation of order during public events or promoting such events.

Human rights activist A human rights defender or human rights activist is a person who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. They can be journalists, environmentalists, whistleblowers, trade unionists, lawyers, teachers, housing campai ...

Lev Ponomaryov Lev Aleksandrovich Ponomaryov (russian: Лев Алекса́ндрович Пономарёв, September 2, 1941) is a Russian political and civil activist. He is an executive director of the all-Russian movement "For Human Rights." He is a mem ...

suggested that the bill was a response to the Moscow "March of Peace".В Госдуме хотят сажать в тюрьму за нарушения на митингах
(The State Duma wants to put people in jail for violations at rallies)

BBC Russian Service BBC News Russian (russian: BBC News Ру́сская слу́жба) – formerly BBC Russian Service (russian: Ру́сская слу́жба Би-би-си́) – is part of the BBC World Service's foreign language output, one of nearly 4 ...

. 01.04.2014

References

{{War in Donbass Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation Reactions to 2010s events Reactions to the Russo-Ukrainian War Society of Russia