Poliakova's producer justified the singer for her trip to Moscow in 2015 and explained why Barskykh is now more popular than Loboda

Ukrainian producer Mykhailo Yasynskyi, who works with singer Olia Poliakova, spoke about stars who performed in Russia after 2014 but have now severed ties with the hostile country. He reflected on why artists like Max Barskykh and Queen of the Night were forgiven by the audience, while Svitlana Loboda, for example, is still being criticized.

According to the showbiz expert, it's not just about the position after 2022, but also about how Ukrainian stars behaved before. Yasinskyi recalled that in the early years of the occupation of Donetsk and Crimea, many Ukrainians believed in a quick victory over the Russians. The producer spoke about this in an interview with Glavkom.

The source recalled that Polyakova has not traveled to Russia since 2015, when it became clear that Russia was not affected by sanctions and that Russians supported Putin.

"She kept the majority of the Russian-speaking audience in Ukraine in the circle of Ukrainian interests. After she decided to close the 'Russian issue' for herself. People looked at her and realized that you can be a Russian-speaking artist in Ukraine, you can be successful. And not have to go to Moscow. That there is no persecution because of language. So you can stay calm in your own country. Back then, it was better for our Russian-speaking Ukrainians to listen to their people than to Russians," explained Mykhailo Yasynskyi.

Comparing the phenomenon of the perception of Max Barskykh and Svitlana Loboda after February 24, 2022, the producer explained that the positive reaction to the singer is justified by the fact that he "did not become part of the Moscow party."

"That's what makes them different. Maxym could not be seen at certain events in the Kremlin Palace, surrounded by certain people. He remained a Ukrainian singer and was perceived as a Ukrainian artist. Our artists who stayed there or have just recently returned chose to be part of Russian show business. They gave some interviews on political topics there. Maxym never did that. But when he saw everything as it was, he was torn. He admitted his mistakes and called a spade a spade," the producer explained.

According to Yasinskyi, it is the way Ukrainians presented themselves in Russia that determines their popularity today. For example, Max Barskykh gathers thousands of people at his concerts, while his colleagues who want to be part of the Russian elite have to prove their pro-Ukrainian position longer and harder.