According to reports from Kazakh media, organizers in Kazakhstan have decided to cancel the tour of a popular Russian sketch comedy group. This decision comes as a result of backlash received after the comedy group visited Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.
Kamyzyaki, a group of comedians known for their appearances on Russia’s longest-running comedy television show KVN, performed and gave interviews at a World War II event in Donetsk, a region in eastern Ukraine that is partially controlled by Russian forces.
Social media users accused Kamyzyaki of supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded that the group cancel their upcoming shows in Kazakhstan, which were scheduled for early October.
Organizer Olga Lee stated on Instagram that the tour in Kazakhstan has been completely canceled due to the strong negative feedback received regarding Kamyzyaki’s actions.
Azamat Musagaliyev, the leader of Kamyzyaki, is an ethnic Kazakh from the Astrakhan region of southern Russia.
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kazakhstan and its Central Asian neighbors have frequently canceled entertainment events involving individuals who support the war.
In Russia, several prominent cultural figures who publicly oppose the invasion of Ukraine while remaining in the country have faced backlash, including canceled performances and fines.
Kazakhstan has had to carefully navigate the diplomatic landscape, maintaining friendly ties with Russia while remaining neutral on the conflict.
