Opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who is currently jailed in Russia, is calling out musicians for their duplicity in performing in both Russia and in the west.

In a series of tweets, Navalny said, “Putin decided to organize a ‘Z-marathon’ of concerts in support of the war all across the country. The amount of money allocated for it is so large that reports show that the artists were paid twice as much as usual. But at the end of the day, performers are complaining that they were actually paid several times less than on paper. If you’re a Putin official, you can’t help but steal. It’s in your DNA. However, it’s up to the US State Department, the EU, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to put an end to this story. Greedy hypocritical scumbags who wanted to make money from promoting war and death should be rewarded by the West with sanctions and lifetime ban on entering civilized countries. The message must be direct and clear: you will not be able to keep a foot in both camps. You will not be able to sing in support of the war in Novosibirsk today and make money tomorrow by entertaining guests at an oligarch’s birthday party on the French Riviera or in Aspen.”

Ever since the war began multiple international stars have been in Russia performing at the Mariinsky Theatre and Bolshoi Theatre and then going to theaters like the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Berlin State Opera, and others following bans on certain Russian musicians. OperaWire has asked for comment from multiple institutions with the Berlin State Opera noting, “It is important for us to emphasize that Russian artists will continue to perform with us and they are not automatically disinvited because of their nationality or because of performances in Russia. However, thinking and acting should become recognizable as congruent.”

1/5 Putin decided to organize a “Z-marathon” of concerts in support of the war all across the country. The amount of money allocated for it is so large that reports show that the artists were paid twice as much as usual.

— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) May 18, 2022