The concert of Russian singer Grigory Leps, scheduled to take place at the "Friendship of Peoples" palace in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on October 23, has been canceled along with concerts in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
The announcement of ticket sales for Leps' concert has been removed from the iTicket.uz website. The Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan has confirmed the cancellation, citing "technical reasons" for the postponement.
Earlier, in Uzbekistan, there was opposition to the upcoming concert of Grigory Leps on October 23. Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of Uzbekistan, Bakhodir Akhmedov, then commented on the situation, stating that there are no obstacles to art in Uzbekistan and dismissing claims that concert proceeds would be used for war.
This follows the cancellation of Leps' concert in Kyrgyzstan, where the event was set to take place in Cholpon-Ota on August 2, Akipress reports. The concert's organizers announced the cancellation, attributing it to the Russian singer's consistent support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and alleged financing of the war. Activists on social media vehemently opposed Leps' concert in the country due to these reasons.
Similarly, the scheduled concert of Grigory Leps in Kazakhstan on July 8 was canceled for the same reasons. Leps had expressed support for the war in Ukraine, offering a reward of $11,000 to anyone who disabled a tank of the Ukrainian army. On July 4, he rewarded a soldier who destroyed a German Leopard tank used by the Ukrainian military.
Meanwhile, the concert in Konayev, Kazakhstan, originally scheduled for July 8, was canceled by the Makao Luxury Village Resort company, which terminated its contract with the concert organizers, Forbes reports. The return of tickets is being handled at the point of purchase. Residents in the area opposed the concert due to Leps' support for the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Grigory Leps, known for his association with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has faced criticism for his remarks and alleged support of the conflict in Ukraine. Earlier, he and other celebrities, including Nikolay Baskov and media company owner Vladimir Kiselyov, pledged personal rewards of up to $11,000 for the destruction of Western tanks used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Comments (0)