Ukraine calls on western allies to boycott Russian culture

Minister defends step in civilisational battle' but says it would not amount to cancelling Tchaikovsky'

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Ukraine's culture minister has called on the country's western allies to boycott Russian culture, urging a halt to performances of the music of Tchaikovsky and other Russian composers until the end of the war.

Writing in the Guardian, Oleksandr Tkachenko argues that such a cultural boycott" would not amount to cancelling Tchaikovsky", but would be pausing the performance of his works until Russia ceases its bloody invasion".