Tick Tock... Ukraine - the ticking time bomb of Eurovision?

Rehearsals for Eurovision began this morning in Copenhagen. Later today both Russia and Ukraine will take to the stage. Never before have relations between the two countries been so tense or so serious. We are likely to see these tensions spill out onto the Eurovision stage. Whether the EBU like it or not, politics does come into Eurovision.

Over at ESC Insight I've written an article on the current situation - will there be political references in the performance? The voting? How will the Russian entry be received? Ukraine aside, Russia's image among the Eurovision fan community is less than positive. The adoption of the anti-gay laws in Russia last year has meant that the country has become viewed almost as a pariah state. It's likely that the Russian twins, the Tolmachevy Sisters, will face a rough ride from audience, consisting mainly of gay men. However, those girls will be well prepared and resilient, as my Euro pal Monty pointed out, he wouldn't be surprised if they booed back!

I arrive in Copenhagen on Friday, more updates before then though!

All's fair in love, war and Eurovision?

As some of you know part of my PhD concentrated on Ukraine and I've spent a considerable amount of time there. The current developments between Ukraine and Russia are worrying to say the least. Some people have asked whether this will impact upon Eurovision this year. I think it almost certainly will. Even though Eurovision is not a political programme per se, politics comes into it from time to time, even though the organisers try not to let this happen. 

2014 will be an interesting one for two reasons - Russia and Ukraine. Given that so many people that attend Eurovision are gay there has been interest in the anti-gay laws introduced in Russia last year. The Sochi Olympics shone a spotlight on LGBT and human rights issues in Russia and I dare say that many attending Eurovision in Copenhagen will voice their opinion on the situation in the country. In a way I almost feel sorry for The Tolmachevy Sisters since rightly or wrongly there is likely to be a backlash against the Russian entry this year. Of course, Russia may continue to do well in the voting, however, the audience might just use it as an opportunity to make their voices heard. 

It'll be interesting to watch the reception that Ukraine gets in Copenhagen too. Will there be a show of solidarity? Will there be any political messages? Ukraine is no stranger to controversy in Eurovision - as their entries from 2005 and 2007 demonstrate. "Russia goodbye" anyone? 

Geopolitics is never black and white. The actions of Putin's regime are worrying and given the developments in Crimea, I can understand why those in Georgia and the Baltic States are watching with deep concern. However the developments in Ukraine itself are cause for alarm - Putin is not wrong when he described some members of the interim government as neo-Nazis. Some of them are. Take the nationalist Svoboda party, whilst standing up for Ukraine in the face of hostility from Russia might be applauded, their far-right, neo-Nazi members intimidate and threaten democracy in the country. Interestingly enough, it was a Svoboda member of parliament that called for Gaitana (who represented Ukraine in Eurovision in 2012) to be disqualified as she "did not represent organic Ukrainian heritage". Basically, she wasn't white enough. Charming! Of course Russia's record on racism and human rights tells its own story too...

Last year Dina Garipova sang about love and peace when she represented Russia at Eurovision. The sentiment expressed in that song couldn't be further from the reality of the situation facing ordinary people in both Russia and Ukraine today.