“Life is falling apart”: the impact of boycotts and cancellations on the Russian population due to the invasion of Ukraine

The invasion to Ukraine has sparked a global backlash against Russia in the fields of culture and sport.

But how much do these bans matter to the Russians, who are now worried about their own future as Western airspace closes, their currency plummets and restrictions on the free press increase?

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AFP

Russian athletes were excluded from the Beijing Winter Paralympics the day before it started and the national football team will not play against Poland this month. Musicians from all over the world are canceling concerts scheduled in Russia.

“It’s hard to imagine how long it will take for Russia to integrate back into the world cultural scene,” Lena, a young woman working in Moscow, told the BBC.

Lena asked that her identity be protected. The names of other interviewees in this article have also been changed.

Images of the destruction and suffering in Ukraine have terrified the world, and many in Russia as well. EPA

“It is impossible to maintain an illusion of normality while this human tragedy is taking place in Ukraine,” he said.

“Complaining about isolation and economic disasters is nothing compared to what the poor people of Ukraine are now experiencing every day, and we are all totally heartbroken that helping them here is seen as treason.”

It is dangerous to speak in Russia: thousands of anti-war protesters have been arrestedwhile the country’s leaders continue the attack.

“Everything will be different”

So far, Russian leaders have defied an unprecedented wave of sanctions aimed at devastating its economy if it doesn’t change course.

Cutting sporting and cultural ties means more pain and revives bitter memories of decades of Cold War division.

Boycotts and sanctions have not stopped Russia. STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE VIA EPA

In sport, the country has been ostracized almost globally. His absence from the Beijing Winter Paralympics will be especially painful, after the organizers changed their minds at the last minute.

Russian athletes have also been barred from this year’s world championships and their figure skaters, an event the country excels at, will not be allowed to participate in competitions.

The International Judo Federation has suspended Russian leader Vladimir Putin, a keen judoka, as its honorary president.

No more F1 for Putin, who last year saw Lewis Hamilton win in Sochi. REUTERS

Four years after hosting the World Cup, Russia’s soccer clubs and national teams have been banned from all international competitions. Spartak Moscow, one of Russia’s top teams, has been kicked out of the Europa League.

However, people in Russia with whom the BBC spoke tried to play down the issue.

Andrey (not his real name), who has a season ticket from the club, believes that “it doesn’t matter” in the midst of everything that is happening.

“Football, like everything else, is going to be different now. For us will be part of the new life that we can’t even imagine“, it says.

“And the main thing is that nobody asked us if we want this new life. As will be? It’s all very scary. Of course, it is nothing compared to what people in Ukraine feel.”

Shows of support for Ukraine after the invasion have been seen in football stadiums. REUTERS

He says “routine problems” like boycotts “are the least of our worries.”

“Now the whole fabric of life is changing, from TV shows to phones to cars. I don’t see the point in trying to guess how it’s going to change.”

In recent years, Russians have grown accustomed to seeing Western artists in their country, a big change from Soviet times, when traveling to and from the country was difficult.

But many foreign artists now have suspended or canceled concerts, festivals and shows in Russia to express their horror at what is happening.

Anyone expecting a Russian stop on the tours of Eric Clapton, Iggy Pop or Louis Tomlinson will be disappointed.

They have joined a growing list of stars (along with The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Green Day and Franz Ferdinand, among others) who have canceled shows in Russia in protest of the war.

Franz Ferdinand had concerts scheduled in Moscow and Saint Petersburg for this summer

Lena assures that many Russian artists also do not want to perform “in these horrible times”. The day after the invasion, singer Valery Meladze, comedian Danila Poperechny and many other celebrities called in a video for an end to the conflict.

The Moscow Bol festival, which among others had Nick Cave on the bill, is one of the events that will not take place.

“I organized conferences and festivals with musicians from all over the world and we discovered many new bands. During the pandemic we try to stay cheerful,” festival co-founder Stepan Kazaryan posted on Facebook.

“Now I have a one-way ticket and nothing else. nothing but shame because of what certain people with the same passport as me have done to our closest neighbors. We can never, ever redeem ourselves.”

Moviegoers and users of online audiovisual platforms are also affected by the forceful response to the invasion. Global film and television giants such as Disney, Warner Bros, Sony and Paramount have suspended planned releases in Russia.

And the Spotify music service is not available.

Marina, a Muscovite woman in her 60s, said: “At the moment we can still watch movies online, but I think the distribution of movies to theaters is affected.”

“We feel very bad. [La guerra] It wasn’t what we wanted.”

An anti-war protester is arrested in St. Petersburg this week. REUTERS

“A horrible feeling of helplessness”

But how likely are Russians to feel the effects of being deprived of sport and culture?

There is an impression in the West that the Russians will feel pain from sanctions and boycotts by losing their freedom to travel, enjoy music, concerts and culture.

Is it naive to think that depriving them of these things will change the opinion of the Russians?

“It’s not, but it’s just impossible: there are more police on the streets than people,” says Lena.

“Last weekend, more than 6,000 people were arrested. And not just ordinary people, but also children and elderly World War II veterans with anti-war signs.”

In a span of days great changes have taken place and no one knows if things can go back to the way they were before.

The legendary radio station Radio Ekho, one of the media closed in Russia for covering the invasion of Ukraine. GETTY IMAGES

“There is a general feeling that life as we know it is falling apart,” said political scientist Ekaterina Schulman, who was presenting on Ekho Moscow radio station when they took it off the air this week for transmitting “false information” about the military action in Ukraine.

She says it is too early to gauge the effect of the West’s measures on Russian public opinion.

“Right now people are in a state of panic or denial and just can’t figure out what’s going on. Many don’t follow the news at all, they watch TV very occasionally, so it will take a while for them to find out.”

He assured that the Russians now they are worried that the borders will be closed and they will not be able to leave.

“In recent days, many people have left Russia to avoid early crackdowns and to be called up to the army. They are flying to Istanbul, Yerevan and Tbilisi.”

Lena believes that certain things like music, entertainment, movies and exhibitions “are not a priority now, they are not even in the top 10″.

“It seems that it is no longer a post-covid depression. It’s just depression and a horrible feeling of helplessness.”

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Source: Elcomercio