Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, has publicly denounced the invitation of Russian conductor Valery Gergiev to Italy’s “A Royal Summer” festival, calling it “a major problem.” In a statement to La Repubblica, Navalnaya described Gergiev as “not merely a friend” of Vladimir Putin but “a promoter of Putin’s criminal policies, his accomplice and enabler.”
She appealed to Italians for consistency, noting Gergiev has “for years supported Putin’s policies with a fervor worthy of the noblest causes.” Navalnaya referenced a 2022 investigation by her late husband’s Anti-Corruption Foundation titled “Putin’s Conductor of War,” which allegedly revealed Gergiev diverted charitable funds from a foundation bearing his name for personal luxury. “These were essentially Russian state resources intended to support theaters and young talents,” she stated.
“Valery Gergiev isn’t just a fellow traveler of the dictatorial regime; he has become an integral part of it,” Navalnaya asserted, highlighting his refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She concluded: “Is this not sufficient reason to never again invite him to international music festivals?”
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