Putin blames West for Ukraine war and says Russia is fighting 'for their motherland'

Christopher Vourlias Despite widespread calls to boycott Russian cinema in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, the Cannes Film Festival struck an uneasy compromise by banning state delegations and Russians with ties to President Vladimir Putin while allowing individual filmmakers to attend.It’s a decision iconoclastic Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov was quick to support on the eve of the world premiere of his latest feature, “Tchaikovsky’s Wife,” which bows in competition on May 18.The director was a no-show at his last two Cannes premieres due in no small part to a history of provocation and dissent against the Russian government. But Serebrennikov – who after a nearly five-year legal ordeal learned on March 28 that he could leave Russia a free man – insists that the type of subversive cinema he creates should be separated from pro-Kremlin propaganda and the “paranoid ideology” of the Putin regime. “Russian culture is about the fragility of life.

Christopher Vourlias On March 15, less than three weeks removed from his country’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu drafted a letter to the Minister of Culture demanding the film and TV work of Ukrainian actor-turned-wartime-President Volodymyr Zelensky be “removed from the cultural agenda of the Russian Federation,” citing efforts to rally the public behind President Vladimir Putin’s war of aggression.Also mentioned in his complaint: two-time Oscar nominee Alexander Rodnyansky (“Leviathan,” “Loveless”), the Kyiv-born producer who has called Russia home for two decades.Rodnyansky had already fled the country. On March 1, he was tipped off by a friend that his opposition to the Ukraine war had landed him in the government’s crosshairs.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy outshone all of the stars at the Cannes Film Festival after he addressed the opening night crowd of actors and filmmakers, delivering an emotional plea on behalf of his war-torn country. Appearing via video, Zelenskyy had festival-goers dabbing their eyes.“We continue fighting,” Zelenskyy said.

Vladimir Putin has been seen manically shuffling his feet and looking frail during a meeting with a head of state, while a body language expert claims he looks “astonishingly weakened”.

Nina Kraviz and her трип (Trip Recordings) label have been dropped from Clone Distribution after its founder alleged that she harbours “pro-Putin” views.The Russian DJ hasn’t spoken publicly about Russia’s war against Ukraine except for posting a video in February of a handwritten note with the word “peace” written in Russian.NME has contacted Kraviz’s representatives for comment about the allegations.Clone Recordings founder Serge Verschuur outlined the decision in a blog post last week (May 12) in which he criticised Kraviz for her alleged “pro-Putin” views and “CCCP/USSR sentiments”, claiming that she is “using Putin’s law as an excuse not to speak out”.A post shared by Nina Kraviz (@ninakraviz)In a recent article, Time magazine collected responses from several prominent members of the electronic music scenes in Ukraine and Russia, including the Ukrainian DJ Nastia and the Russian DJ Buttechno, who have also criticised Kraviz’s apparent “silence” and asked her to provide clarity about her views on Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war.But Kraviz’s defenders have argued that the DJ has no involvement with the war in Ukraine and that freedom of speech includes the freedom to say nothing at all. A representative for Kraviz did not respond to Time‘s request for comment.Supporters in the Time article also cited Russia’s recently introduced laws that forbid anti-war protests, slogans and independent journalism, as well as the potential threats that come with being a Russian dissident.In Verschuur’s blog post he wrote that he supports Kravitz’s right to remain silent, but added that it puts an end to their business relationship.“Let me be very clear about the fact that it is her right to do so.

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu’s WeWork director Jed Rothstein is forging landmark Sky documentary Once Upon a Time in Londongrad, exploring 14 mysterious deaths in the UK with alleged connections to Russia over two decades.

Russia has lost a third of the ground forces it sent to invade Ukraine, British intelligence revealed yesterday.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine will host the next Eurovision Song Contest after the country's folk-rap group Kalush Orchestra won the 2022 trophy. Kalush Orchestra were destined for victory amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion, which sparked Eurovision organisers to ban Russia from competing this year. Ukraine, which joined the contest in 2003, won by a landslide 631 points as votes from the public came in their droves to show their support for the country.The win is the third time Ukraine have taken home the victory – after previously being crowned Eurovision champions in 2004 and 2016.

Russia has made new threats to use its Satan-2 hypersonic nuclear missile to strike Britain in just 200 seconds.

EXCLUSIVE: Two-time BAFTA nominee Maxine Peake (The Village) is set to star as renowned Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in the timely Cannes market package Mother Russia.

Participants in the 2019 Kyiv Pride march in Ukraine (Pic: Kyiv Pride / Victor Vysochin / @arrideo.photography)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly outraged about his secret gymnast lover falling pregnant again.