Artist from Ukraine barred from festival in Italy because she spoke out against Russian in jury who supports war

In the video published by Anna, we can see how at the beginning of her performance she appears on the stage, wrapped in the Ukrainian flag. In her hands, she held sheets of paper with the inscription "Nikulin supports the invasion into Ukraine" and a photo of a Russian man surrounded by people in military uniform.

After that, she went down to the hall, where she began to distribute the same sheets to those present. During this, the artistic director of the festival, Antonio Giarola, apologized to the audience, saying that he did not know about the Ukrainian artist's actions and did not coordinate them.

Anna explained that she did not know before going to the festival that "for the first time since the festival was founded, a representative of the aggressor state will be invited to the jury." She also expressed discontent with Nikulin's presence and called it "an attempt to rehabilitate the image of Russia, the aggressor in the war against Ukraine."

According to the artist, under the leadership of Maksim Nikulin, the Moscow State Circus provides benefits for participants in hostilities against Ukraine and their children, "and propaganda brigades of artists perform for the military." Meanwhile, the director himself talks about helping the occupiers and supporting the authorities in interviews, says Anna.

“Some people started to following me because of the festival, and I find it's a good occasion to remind that art is not apolitical, and me neither. All I do here is try to represent my beautiful country and its culture while we are fighting for our independence, freedom, and democracy in the world," she wrote on Instagram.

The artistic director of the festival, Antonio Giarola, said that Russians were invited to the jury this year "just as other cultural and artistic organizations have done," writes Corriere del Veneto.

He added that 11 Ukrainians and 3 Russians participated in the festival, which, allegedly, "confirms the status of the event as a symbol of coexistence and unity, in accordance with circus traditions." In addition, Giarola claims that before inviting Nikulin, he asked to be a jury of two leading circus figures from Ukraine, but they allegedly refused.

He considers himself "deceived" by Petrenko's actions, because she seemed to know that Nikulin was on the jury because she had performed in previous shows.

"She could have refused to participate and I would have understood her, instead she wanted to make a fuss in a place where political flags have no value. Only art matters: the circus is a place where cultures meet," said Giarola.