A recent winner of the Eurovision contest.
Posted on 10/31/2025 11:35:07 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
Since Russia found itself cast out of the Western cultural and sporting sphere following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has tried in earnest to create something of a "parallel world" of events and institutions that could act as substitutes.
After launching the war against its neighbor in 2022, Russia was banned from participating in the Olympic Games, a competition in which it had traditionally fared well, although its success was often accompanied by various doping scandals. It was also barred from more light-hearted cultural events, such as the Eurovision Song Contest.
Russia has sought to turn its banishment to its advantage, however, looking to replace such events with home-grown versions.
While Russians understand that such substitutes are not the genuine articles, many have seen efforts to recreate sporting and cultural events as a patriotic effort to rekindle Russia's Soviet-era, which Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently references with nostalgia.
"The majority of Russians believe that Russia was unfairly excluded from most of the international events, so these substitutes make sense in terms of providing some alternative," according to Anton Barbashin, a Russian political analyst and editorial director of the journal Riddle, told CNBC Thursday.
"[They have a kind of attitude that they're] 'better than nothing' but of course only a minority of people would treat them as a real deal. For the older generation, it is a reminder of Soviet-organized events. Often Putin is framing them in this way as well — as a revival of old traditions," Barbashin said by email.
Barbashin characterized Russia's strategy of "import-substitution" as one that was done out of "pure necessity."
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
looks like Russia (Putin) is committed to this multi-polar parallel economy/culture stuff. can this brics thing take us down? i think we’d better stop inflating our currency.
The winner this September, of the Soviet-era Intervision Song Contest was Vietnam’s Duc Phuc.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bySiboHg4xI
That’s just it. BRICS wouldn’t even be a thing if the US itself weren’t a basket case about spending money it doesn’t have.
The name suggests he does not want to father any children.
It’s funny because Russia’s biggest success in the ESC was when T.A.T.U. did a raunchy number...
Putin really hated that Russia’s biggest success in Europe didn’t involve a military ponce-fest.
While Russians understand that such substitutes are not the genuine articles, many have seen efforts to recreate sporting and cultural events as a patriotic effort to rekindle Russia’s Soviet-era, which Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently references with nostalgia.
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If they can get to them - many places inside Russia GPS no longer works because its being jammed and accurate maps are illegal.
SVWIMING WVERE!!!!
“Russia Has Tyrants” is a contest which Putin is sure to win, hands down.
It’s funny because Russia’s biggest success in the ESC was when T.A.T.U. did a raunchy number...
That was pre-Putin IIRC.
LOL. I should have known. It's worse than I imagined!
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