Khlyvnyuk recalled how he sent Urgent because of the Russian language: this is how fascism began in Russia

A well-known Ukrainian musician and, since February 24, 2022, a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andriy Khlyvnyuk, recalled how he had been on tour and on TV programs in Russia until 2014. Even then, the leader of Boombox felt how Russian society was changing under the influence of anti-Ukrainian propaganda that had just been launched. It wasn't as overt as it is now, but the singer believes that it is precisely because of these cautious and seemingly subtle steps that Russians have come to kill Ukrainians today.

In particular, Khlyvnyuk recalled the case of Russian TV presenter Ivan Urgant, whose evening show he was supposed to attend with a presentation of the Ukrainian-language song "Little Child." In the end, the singer was forced to send a showman. The artist shared his memories and thoughts as part of the YouTube project "Straight Red".

"We stopped touring in 2014, but somewhere around 2012 we started hearing 'Sing in Russian' in the halls. That is, everything was going on, they were preparing: TV and radio. And in 2013, I won't lie, I don't remember if it was before or after the Maidan, Urgant asked me to sing in Russian. It was a presentation of the song "Little Child" on Channel One. At first, the directors, and then Urgant, asked me not to sing in Ukrainian anymore, because they would be "atata" for it. They even convinced me to sing a Russian-language hit," Khlyvnyuk recalled.

When the artist asked why he had to perform exclusively Russian-language songs, he was not given a clear answer. Khlyvnyuk admits that Urgant is a smart man who understood why the channel started banning Ukrainian. In an attempt to convince the Boombox leader to appear on the show, the host, according to the singer, made the following argument: "Andriy, come to Venice, we'll drink wine, let's not talk about this. You know that I have the ability to do what no one else can do: voice and ridicule things that no one else is allowed to do." In response, both Urgant and Channel One were sent packing by Khlyvnyuk.

"Fascism generally comes like this. A little by little, little by little, through inconvenience, and then they start killing people. They have turned the screws to blood," the singer aptly commented.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Khlyvnyuk has previously admitted that he does not feel hatred for his former Russian fans. However, the leader of the Bombox band has other feelings - disgust and pity.

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