Ukraine's Eurovision entry under threat if she continues to perform in Russia
Several politicians have said Maruv should not be allowed to perform on Ukraine's behalf
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Your support makes all the difference.The Ukranian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest has been told to choose between going ahead with the nomination or performing concerts in Russia.
27-year-old singer Anna Korsun, who performs as Maruv, was picked to represent her country in this year's annual competition.
However, shortly after the announcement, several Ukranian politicians said she should not be allowed to take part on Ukraine's behalf because she tours in Russia.
The Ukrainian Culture Ministry has also weighed in, saying that only “patriots who are aware of their responsibility” should be allowed to sing for Ukraine at the annual pop contest while “thousands of heroes are dying for Ukraine's territorial integrity”.
According to the country's national public broadcaster, she has been offered a contract that would temporarily ban her from playing in Russia. Associated Press reports that she has 24 hours to sign it.
In response, Maruv said she feels organisers are "trying to steal the victory from us", although she is willing to cancel her Russian tour.
Artists with ties to Russia have become more controversial in recent years after tensions increased from when Russia annexed the Ukrainian Crimean peninsula in 2014.
Ukrainian dancer Sergei Polunin, known as the "bad boy" of ballet, has been causing controversy in recent months with stunts such as having a portrait of Vladimir Putin tattooed on his chest, and making statements in support of Russia on social media.
Polunin deleted his Instagram page after a homophobic rant about "feminine" male ballet dancers, which caused him to be dropped from the Paris Opera's production of Swan Lake.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
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