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Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's sold-out concert at Philharmonie has drawn criticism given her links to Vladimir Putin.

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is due to perform on Monday evening before a sold-out Philharmonie; the concert has drawn sharp criticism because of the war in Ukraine. In a statement, the Ukrainian Embassy said it was deeply concerned, arguing that the opera singer had supported Vladimir Putin in the past and represented Russia's cultural establishment. The Philharmonie, for its part, pointed out that the singer had spoken out against the war in the past.

Claude Radoux, Ukraine's honorary consul in Luxembourg, said that anyone who does not clearly distance themselves from Putin is, ultimately, aligned with Putin. He said he had been contacted by the Ukrainian ambassador and shared the concerns raised. According to Radoux, the perception is that Netrebko is very close to the Putin regime. He said appearances by Russian artists who do not clearly distance themselves from the war are seen by the Ukrainian community around the world as a provocation and, to some extent, as support for Russia's war against Ukraine.

The Philharmonie declined to give an interview on the subject. In a written statement, it said it believes that culture, and music in particular, should remain a space for dialogue. The Philharmonie said it understood that Netrebko's appearance could raise concerns among some members of the public, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. However, it added that its mission was to ensure that the Philharmonie remains a place that brings people together and encourages dialogue, including in times of crisis and conflict.

Also today

• The 34-year-old victim of last Friday's knife attack in Ettelbruck was the bankruptcy curator handling the affairs of the 53-year-old suspect.
• The CFL announced this morning, during a press conference releasing their annual report, that Jean-Paul Lickes would take over as CFL board chairman.
• The four Nordstad municipalities are voting on Monday on a joint resolution setting out their intention to merge, Diekirch and Ettelbruck already giving their unanimous backing
• The G7 summit is in full swing and will focus on the US-Iran deal, with discussions on global economic imbalances, AI control, and energy diversification expected to dominate the agenda.
• A Russian missile assault on Ukrainian cities led to the destruction of Kyiv's Dormition Cathedral and left eleven dead.
• An Oslo court has today sentenced Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son to four years in prison on two counts of rape and 32 other offences

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