Putin launches Intervision, Russia's Kremlin-backed rival to Eurovision
Kremlin-backed competition features 23 countries and a 30 million ruble prize as Moscow promotes traditional values after Russia's ban from the European contest
Russia on Saturday night unveiled its own version of the Eurovision Song Contest, calling the event Intervision as Moscow rolls out a Kremlin-backed rival to the European Broadcasting Union’s competition after Russia was banned from Eurovision more than three years ago. The contest, which officials say will be broadcast on Russian television and online, features 23 countries and a top prize of 30 million rubles, roughly £266,000, with an emphasis on performances that promote traditional family values.
The organizers say the competition will differ from Eurovision in tone and content. Russian planning documents require that acts refrain from songs that call for violence or humiliate the dignity of society, and that political themes in lyrics are completely excluded. In a country where the state has long promoted conservative social values, officials have framed Intervision as a showcase of “real music” rather than what they describe as “fake values” associated with Western culture.
The lineup includes Belarus, Cuba, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela, among others. Serbia is the only country to compete in both Eurovision and Intervision. The United States is also set to perform; American R&B singer B.Howard was replaced by 42-year-old Australian-Greek performer Vassy after Howard pulled out at short notice, according to show organizers. Moscow will be represented by Shaman, real name Yaroslav Dronov, with a Russian-language ballad titled "Straight to the Heart." Dronov has become a familiar figure on Russian state TV with patriotic songs in the recent years, including material that builds on wartime sentiment.
The Intervision revival traces its origins to the Soviet era, when Moscow hosted a version of a bloc-wide song contest as an alternative to Eurovision for Eastern European and allied states. The event’s revival comes after Russia was barred from Eurovision in February 2022 for the invasion of Ukraine, an exclusion that Western broadcasters said would have violated the event’s rules if a Russian entry had been allowed to participate in Turin, Italy, that May. The European Broadcasting Union said Russia was completely excluded from the event, including voting, while Russia’s supporters argued for alternative cultural options.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking at a pre-contest news conference, said Moscow had not banned Russians from watching Eurovision, but defended the need for alternative approaches to preserve traditional national cultures. "If there is demand, that is a matter for the audience and the jury to decide, not for us to dictate taste," Lavrov said, alluding to the contested nature of Europe’s best-known song competition and a quip about a bearded performer in a dress who has previously won Eurovision.
Kyiv has denounced Intervision as an instrument of hostile propaganda, arguing that the Kremlin’s cultural outreach is intended to push Moscow’s political narrative abroad while sidelining Western-era norms. Russian officials have long used cultural outreach as part of their broader information strategy, arguing that they are defending traditional values amid Western moral debates.
Intervision’s lineup positions the show as a global tour of partners aligned with Moscow’s worldview, with participants from diverse regions including Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. The event’s structure relies on a professional jury from each participating country to determine the winner, rather than a public vote. Officials say this aligns with the bloc-style logic of the event’s historic predecessor and seeks to emphasize artistic merit over mass appeal.
The broader Eurovision context remains unsettled as broadcasters in several European countries weigh participation in future contests. The BBC has said it will decide on its involvement next year, while nations such as the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain and Slovenia have publicly contemplated boycotts in response to Israel’s participation in the Gaza conflict. The Eurovision debate underscores how geopolitics can intersect with music, even as Russia steers a competing narrative on culture and values on the world stage.
For many observers, Intervision will be judged on its ability to sustain audience attention beyond its political messaging and to present music that resonates across cultures. Its mixed roster of longtime allies and newer partners, plus the presence of a U.S. act, signals Moscow’s interest in broadening the contest’s appeal while continuing to present a Russia-centered worldview in a charged international climate.