Russian artists who left the country after the start of the operation in Ukraine did not break the law, and therefore there was no call to cast them as traitors or to condemn every individual who chose to depart. This perspective came from Mikhail Shvydkoy, the president’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, in an interview with kp.ru. He reminded readers that the departures involved only adults who understood the implications of their choices and the potential consequences of their actions abroad.
Shvydkoy stressed that the key issue is not a blanket judgment but a careful assessment of how these cultural figures conduct themselves outside Russia should they decide to return someday. The discussion, he noted, should center on accountability and the long‑term relationship those artists have with their homeland, rather than on punitive assumptions about their motives or loyalty.
According to the official, only a small number of artists have left, though their cases have received outsized attention. The vast majority continue to live and work within Russia and express concern for the country’s wellbeing. While he does not wish to overstate the impact of those who left, he also conveys genuine sympathy for individuals such as Dmitry Krymov, whose career and personal experiences during this period illustrate the larger tensions at play for the artistic community. In Shvydkoy’s view, artists who rely on language and narrative—writers, playwrights, and similar voices—often feel a particular pull toward their native soil and a sense of duty to their homeland, even when their paths lead abroad. The abroad scenario, while fraught with challenges, can never erase the deeper connection these creators feel to Russia and its future, a point the official emphasizes in his assessment of the broader cultural landscape. — [Source: kp.ru]
In a separate development, on February 12, Shvydkoy mentioned that Crimean museums had filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights over the transfer of Scythian gold to Ukraine. He noted that such a case warrants examination, though the likelihood of a favorable outcome remains uncertain. There is some hope, he said, for a fair decision, even if the odds are not high. This legal maneuver reflects ongoing disputes over cultural heritage and national patrimony that have accompanied the broader political tensions in the region. — [Source: kp.ru]
Earlier statements by Shvydkoy also touched on the perspectives of peers who have chosen emigration in response to threats, offering a nuanced view of how each artist manages the balance between personal safety, professional obligation, and a sense of belonging to their homeland. The conversation underscores that the artistic community is not a monolith: personal histories, modes of expression, and the choices available to each individual shape a spectrum of responses to the same set of pressures. The overarching message remains that the relationship between art, national identity, and state policy is complex, and it deserves careful, compassionate consideration rather than swift judgments. — [Source: kp.ru]