Putin Revives Soviet-Era Intervision Song Contest to Counter Eurovision

The Kremlin-backed event, set for Moscow in September, aims to promote 'traditional values' and attract countries aligned with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to relaunch the Intervision Song Contest, a Soviet-era alternative to Eurovision, after Russia's 2022 ban from Eurovision over its invasion of Ukraine.
The event will take place in Moscow in September 2025 and is expected to feature around 25 countries considered 'friendly' to Russia, including China, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea.
Intervision will emphasize traditional family and cultural values, with rules prohibiting political themes or content deemed to promote violence or disrespect societal norms.
The contest, last held during the Cold War, is being organized under Kremlin supervision, with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko and domestic policy chief Sergei Kiriyenko leading the effort.
The revival reflects Russia's broader cultural strategy to position itself as a defender of conservative values in contrast to what it portrays as Western moral decline.