These Russian Artists And Celebrities Show Support For Ukraine, Stand For Peace

Amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, many Russian artists and celebrities are voicing their opposition to the invasion and speaking out against their country’s President Vladimir Putin.

Russian-born model Irina Shayk, 36, recently posted a photo of a black and white peace sign on her official Instagram account. In the caption, she wrote, “No To War.”

"I will be donating to @unicef and @redcrossukraine - Please check my stories for donation links and resources, give what you can. Praying for [world] peace," Shayk added.

Petr Yan, an interim UFC bantamweight champion, also shared an image calling for peace between Russia and Ukraine in his Instagram Story. The photo has been archived. However, several Twitter users have captured a screenshot of the post.

Prior to his Instagram Story, Yan released a video statement where he argued that Russian people did not wish for war. In the video, he also compared Putin and his opponent, Aljamain Sterling, to a clown.

Semyon Bychkov, a noted conductor who was born in St. Petersberg, also took to Facebook last Friday to announce he was canceling his planned performances with the Russian National Youth Symphony Orchestra at Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow in June. He added that while he was looking forward to making music with gifted Russian artists, doing so amid the war “would be an unconscionable act of acquiescence.”

Bychkov, who is currently the chief conductor and music director of the Czech Philharmonic, later published a separate statement where he slammed the people who choose to remain silent amid the war.

"Silence in the face of evil becomes its accomplice and ends up becoming its equal. ... To remain silent today is to betray our conscience and our values, and ultimately what defines the nobility of human nature," the statement read.

Igor Levitt, a Russian-German pianist and professor at the Muscikhoschule Hannover, also took to Instagram to show his support for Ukraine and slam Putin for starting the war.

"Remaining vague when one man, especially the man who is the leader of your home country starts a war against another country and by doing so also causes greatest suffering to your home country and your people, is unacceptable," his post read.

As of Wednesday, more than 10,000 Russian cultural and art workers signed an open letter condemning Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.

Talks between Russia and Ukraine have yet to deliver any results. Moscow continues to lay siege to Ukraine, with some troops setting the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant on fire. The nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe.