Intellectuals, actors, musicians divided on support for Putin as president
Moscow (AsiaNews) - The recruitment of artists and intellectuals among the
supporters of the campaign to bring Vladimir Putin back to the Kremlin is dividing
the intellectual elite in Russia.
500 people were hired throughout Russia to promote the candidacy of prime
minister, including many musicians, actors and writers who have participated in
rallies, lent their faces to commercials shown during the elections and
parades. Their militancy, however, has sparked controversy and criticism from
colleagues, who accuse them of lack of intellectual integrity.
The alarm was sounded by the case of the
actress Chuplan Khamatova, Russian icon of independent cinema and engaged in
the defence of infancy with her organisation "Gift of Life". The
artist shot a controversial video in which, with obvious embarrassment, says she
will vote for Putin. His performance has raised a chorus of criticism from many
colleagues and the media linked to the opposition, who denounced the
authorities pressure on the woman. After days of controversy, Khamatova itself
admitted that she had no option if she wanted to keep her organisation going.
Like her, the famous pianist Denis Matsuyev, the jazz musician Igor Butman and
the Director of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev have been
targeted for criticism.
The rumors are that the artists are supporting
the favorite candidate to obtain incentives in the renovation of the theaters they
run or not to jeopardize their career. For Prigozhin Iosif, music producer,
however, not all pro-Putin artists are acting for personal gain. He and his
wife Valeria - a famous pop singer - did not participate in commercials for
Vladimir Vladimirovich, but say they vote for the prime minister, "because
there is no alternative."
The issue has also created fractures within families. As was the case between
the two Samoilov musicians, of the famous band Agata Sad: Vadim joined the
campaign for Putin, Gleb chose the street protests.
Although most of the supporters of the prime minister are moved by "concern for their careers," some of them "believe the threat of an orange revolution " in Russia well founded, Pavel Salin, an expert of the Center for Economic policy, the Kremlin think tank told the Moscow Times. Salin names the director Stanislav Govorukhin, head of Putin's election campaign, believes that the former KGB agent", ''the only alternative to chaos."
The President is not alone in enlisting members of the world culture. The billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov has the support of famous singer Pugachyova, rocker Andrei Makarevich and director Pavel Lungin. For the Communist Gennady Zyuganov, the director Vladimir Bortko and comedian Mikhail Zadornov.
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23/06/2023 11:58
