OREANDA-NEWS Latvia has included six Russian cultural figures, including actors Mikhail Boyarsky, Sergey Bezrukov, Igor Ugolnikov and Maria Shukshina, as well as singer Yulia Chicherina and hip-hop singer Timur Yunusov (Timati), in the persona non grata list. This was reported by the Latvian Foreign Ministry.

The listed individuals are banned to enter Latvia indefinitely, as they are believed to be "supporting the Kremlin.

On March 22, Latvian Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis suggested that more than 20 Russian artists be banned from entering the country because of their position on Russia's special operation in Ukraine. It was about the artists who performed at a concert in Moscow on March 18 on the occasion of the annexation of Crimea.

Two days later, Rinkevich added 25 Russian cultural figures to the list of undesirables, including director Nikita Mikhalkov, actor Vladimir Mashkov, artists Nikolai Rastorguev and Polina Gagarina, among others.

Earlier, the Bavarian State Opera announced that it was ending its collaboration with the singer Anna Netrebko and the conductor Valery Gergiev because of their "insufficient distance" from the Russian authorities. The Munich city hall also announced the termination of the contract with Gergiev, who had been chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, for the same reason.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned attacks on Russian cultural figures in the West. "Together we must build world peace, not [wage] war. Pouring oil on the fire won't help anyone," he said.