The group 5'nizza, which includes Sergey Babkin and Andrey Zaporozhets, has found itself at the center of a scandal following the release of a video inviting fans to concerts in Europe.
The video shared on the group's Instagram sparked sharp criticism from online users, including the renowned folklorist and singer Maria Kvitka.
In the clip, Babkin plays the guitar while Zaporozhets announces concert dates in Hamburg, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Valencia, and Frankfurt. However, despite the fact that the caption under the video was written in Ukrainian, the actual invitation was voiced in Russian.
This provoked a storm of outrage among Ukrainian users, who believe that the group's stance is unacceptable, particularly in the context of war and Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Other online users also chimed in.
One user commented: “How ignorant can you be? It takes a certain level of mercantilism to miss the point entirely. Enjoy your concerts. Entertain the Russians, clowns.” Another user stated: “Alright, you’ve left, but why in Russian? Or are you now Russian performers? Just admit that you are no longer Ukrainian artists and that’s it! Because this looks pathetic.”
There were also more emotional responses. One follower noted that she used to love the group’s music, but now considers their behavior “pathetic.” “It’s sad to see former idols turn into trash,” she wrote.