Unlike Ukraine, where there was a transparent and public national selection for Eurovision 2017, there wasn’t a national selection in Russia. Channel One Russia chose a participant for a song contest behind the scenes. Given the peculiarity of the venue of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017, Kremlin needed a special candidate. And a singer Juliya Samoylova was suchlike.
Russia acted cynically, choosing representative as an invalid who violated the law of Ukraine (in 2015 Samoylova illegally crossed the border and performed in the annexed Crimea). This powerful provocation aimed to entrap Ukraine. After all, Ukraine was put in the position of zugzwang. If Ukraine allowed Samoylova to enter Ukraine, it would be bad, because of a dangerous precedent with close one’s eyes to the violation of Ukrainian law. If Ukraine didn’t allow Samoylova to enter Ukraine, it would be also bad, as a reason for an indictment against Ukraine’s inhumanity.
Actually, things are moving according to the last scenario. Ukraine’s security service banned entry to Russia’s Eurovision participant. In this case, the goal of Russia is to present the Ukrainian government as fascists who violate the rights of a defenseless girl with a disability. “She is not guilty of anything, she did not keep weapons, and she was barred from entering Ukraine”, – theses are used in an information attack against Ukraine.
Propaganda appeals to emotions, namely girl’s disability. A rational argument that Samoylova violated Ukrainian law is perceived as less important. But not for Europeans, who are crazy about the law. Do musicians stay out of politics? Maybe, but the law is sacred. If someone broke the law, there would be consequences.
That’s why it was very strange to hear “deep disappointment” about the decision of Ukraine’s security service from the European Broadcasting Union. But I’m sure that Europe in the whole won’t believe Russia’s performing as a victim. The Russians simply never knew how to do it well. It isn’t their own. They could only frighten and flex muscle.
