US to send singer to Russian "Intervision" contest in Moscow - Politico
Kyiv • UNN
The United States will send singer Brandon Howard, known as B. Howard, to the Russian "Intervision" contest in September. The contest, revived by Putin, is positioned as a Soviet alternative to "Eurovision."
The United States will send singer Brandon Howard, known by his stage name B. Howard, to participate in the Russian "Intervision" contest, which will take place in Moscow in September. This is reported by UNN with reference to Politico.
Howard's music "breaks down borders and unites cultures"
"Intervision" is positioned as a Soviet alternative to "Eurovision" and was held from 1965 to 1980 in Czechoslovakia. Russian dictator Putin revived the contest in 2025, appointing Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko as the head of the organizing committee. Russia was excluded from "Eurovision" after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Russia will be represented at the contest by the pro-war singer Shaman (Yaroslav Dronov), who is under EU sanctions for participating in Kremlin propaganda concerts. In addition to Russia and the USA, participants include Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Venezuela, Serbia, Cuba, Qatar, and Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that they consider "Intervision" as "an instrument of hostile propaganda and a means of whitewashing the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation."
Recall
It became known back in February that Putin signed a decree on holding the "Intervision" music contest in Moscow in 2025. 600 million rubles have been allocated for the event.