Moscow’s version of the iconic singing contest would likely have different vibes to the original.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Monday establishing a Russian version of the Eurovision Song Contest, after the country was excluded from the continental competition nearly three years ago.
The new contest will be called Intervideniye (Intervision in English), and is set to take place in the Moscow region sometime in 2025, state-owned news agency TASS reported Monday.
The contest will be supervised by the Kremlin, with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko appointed as chairman of the organizing committee and domestic policy chief Sergei Kiriyenko as chair of the supervisory board that will be certifying the results, the decree reads.
Eurovision is known for its inclusive and celebratory atmosphere, often highlighting LGBTQ+ artists and themes. A Russian counterpart, however, would almost certainly reflect the country’s restrictive stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
Russia has been banned from participating in Eurovision since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organizer of Eurovision, had said in a statement that “the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s Contest would bring the competition into disrepute.” That Eurovision exclusion continues as the Russian assault goes on.
Putin’s idea of a Russian-organized music competition is not new.
Moscow held an Intervision music contest during the Soviet-era between 1965 and 1968, and then later between 1977 and 1980, among allied countries as the Cold War simmered.
In December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed that more than 25 countries, including Latin American nations, had already expressed interest in participating in such a contest.
