It is customary to close the musical part of the Daugavpils City Festival with a musician singing and addressing the audience in Russian from the stage. This year it was Ukrainian singer Svetlana Loboda. Even before the festival had officially started, Russian comedian Denis Dorokhov addressed the citizens of Daugavpils via video from another stage. According to Radio Free Europe, he has also performed in the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.
The comedian performed at the event, which took place on the stage of the Daugavpils Theatre. They explained that they had rented the stage to the association "Joke League", headed by Aleksandrs Komarovs.
"I have no information that he supports Russian aggression against Ukraine. I did not see such material anywhere, I never saw such information from him. Maybe someone told me that there was a story on Channel One [Russian-language First Baltic Channel "PBK"], but I haven't watched Channel One for a long time," said the event's organizer, Aleksandrs Komarovs.
Komarovs said that if the comedian was found to be supporting Russian aggression, the "League of Jokes" would be ready to apologize.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that event organizers should make sure that the invited performers do not pose reputational or sanction risks. Komarovs is also a daily actor at the Daugavpils theatre and works with young people in the local authority. Given the negative response, the Daugavpils Theatre is unlikely to rent any more space to this association.
Meanwhile, the municipality has only cooperated with the association during one event, said Valērija Linkeviča, head of the Daugavpils Youth and Sports Department. "There were no complaints. If they want to organize another event, we will evaluate it," Linkeviča said.
Meanwhile, Mihails Lavrenovs, a deputy elected to the City Council from the "Harmony" list, wrote about the festival on social networks as follows:
"The crowds on Rīgas Street are like in Soviet times."
The emoji of a sickle with a hammer is also present in the text. He denied it, though. "I think you have the wrong information. The sticker attached to my post looks completely different," Lavrenovs said.
The deputy also shared a video of bus passengers singing a song praising the war.
The State Security Service said that the activities of MP Lavrenov should also be assessed by the State Police:
"In the assessment of the State Security Service, the Daugavpils City Council deputy should think more carefully about his public expressions, as this type of activity does not contribute to the inter-ethnic cohesion of Latvian society."
Lavrenovs has previously come under the spotlight of the Service.
The State Police confirmed that they have received the video of the singing and administrative proceedings have been launched. "On this date, several symbols praising military aggression were found drawn in one of the city's parks," added Dmitrijs Karpuņins, deputy head of the South Latgale police station.
