160–170 cultural figures left Russia – Kommersant

According to various estimates, 160–170 cultural figures who disagreed with the authorities’ policies left Russia, said President Vladimir Putin. He believes that it is better for these figures to work abroad than to “drip on brains” and “promote unconventional values” in Russia.

“According to various estimates, these are the same journalists who count, approximately 160-170 cultural figures have gone abroad, they do not agree with the policies of the Russian state,” Mr. Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

The President expressed the opinion that it is better for talented people who left to do their business there than to “drain their brains” in the country.

“If a talented person who could do something here left, we probably lost something. But on the other hand, I’ll honestly say, maybe it’s better for him to do what he does abroad, whose interests he wants to serve, than to mess with the brains of millions of our citizens here and promote some unconventional values,” the president said.

Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov in April called do not “record in the fifth column” those who were “scared and did not understand” the authorities’ decision on the military operation in Ukraine. According to Mr. Peskov, the artists who left Russia did not become enemies of the state. Ministry of Culture deniedwhich is developing a bill to deprive departed artists of their titles.

Laura Keffer