BBC / UK
Alice Davis
The ban will not apply to Russian composers who died before the collapse of the Soviet Union
Ukraine’s parliament has voted to ban some Russian music in the media and public places.
The ban will not apply to all Russian music, but rather to music created or performed by those who are or were citizens of Russia after 1991.
Artists who condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine may apply for an exception to the ban.
Imports of books from Russia and Belarus will also be prohibited by law.
Many of those who live in eastern and southern Ukraine have historically felt a strong connection to Russia and often speak Russian as their first language.
But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has resulted in many Ukrainians wanting to separate themselves from Russian culture.
A bill approved by lawmakers Sunday bans the reproduction or performance of certain works of Russian music on television, radio, in schools, public transportation, hotels, restaurants, cinemas and other public places.
It was supported by 303 out of 450 deputies of the Ukrainian parliament.
The document states that the ban “will minimize the risks of possible hostile propaganda through music in Ukraine and increase the volume of national music products in the cultural space,” BBC Monitoring reported.
The ban will apply to musicians who have or had Russian citizenship at any time after 1991 – the year of Ukraine’s independence – with the exception of those who are or were citizens of Ukraine at the time of their death.
This means that works by long-dead Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich can still be performed.
Russian artists who condemn the war in Ukraine can obtain an exception for their music by submitting an application to Ukraine’s security service. In it, they must indicate that they support Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity, call on Russia to immediately stop its aggression against Ukraine and pledge to refrain from any steps contrary to these written statements, the BBC Ukrainian Service reported.
The document also includes laws to increase the proportion of Ukrainian songs played on radio to 40 percent and to increase the use of the Ukrainian language in daily programs to 75 percent, the public broadcaster of Ukraine (Suspilne) reported.
Russian books also banned
Under the bill, which parallels the music bill, books imported from Russia, Belarus and the occupied Ukrainian territories will be banned, as well as materials in Russian imported from other countries.
The law prohibits the publication and distribution of books written by Russian citizens (with the same exceptions as for music), although this does not apply to books already published in Ukraine.
In addition, translations of books will be published only in Ukrainian, the official languages of the EU, or indigenous Ukrainian languages.