Max Korzh / Collage of Channel 24
On May 23, a large-scale concert by Belarusian singer Max Korzh took place at the Arena Nacionale stadium in Bucharest. The event attracted tens of thousands of visitors, including Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russians – the latter traditionally making up a significant part of his fan base. However, this did not stop young people from Ukraine from going to the artist's concert.
The demand for tickets was extremely high: they were sold out just two weeks after the start of sales. How Max Korzh's concert went and what was wrong with his position on the war in Ukraine – we will tell you further in the material of Channel 24 .
A few days before the concert, the media actively wrote about the fact that Ukrainians were traveling en masse to see the Belarusian singer perform. At that time, videos filmed on the border with Romania were discussed online, where many young people were singing Korzh's Russian-language tracks near buses.
Romanian law enforcement officers have tightened security around the stadium and surrounding areas ahead of the singer's concert in Bucharest. The fact is that before the performance, on May 20, fans of the singer from different countries gathered at Constitution Square and sang his songs. Police found more than 30 pyrotechnic devices – torches and firecrackers – among them.
On the day of the concert, May 23, security at the stadium checked visitors and confiscated flags, including Ukrainian ones. However, some visitors still managed to bring in banners, including Russian flags.
Ukrainian flags were taken away at Max Korzh's concert: watch the video online
During the performance, Max Korzh sang the song “This is our home”, which he dedicated to the men who died in the war. At the same time, the artist does not publicly call Russia an aggressor, limiting himself to general formulations. Therefore, it is not surprising if Korzh sang this track for the Russians who died when they came to kill Ukrainians.
The singer's reaction to the audience chanting “Putin's ***” caused particular outrage. In response, Max Korzh declared from the stage that no names could be shouted at his concerts – neither in a positive nor in a negative context, except for his own.
Max Korzh spoke about Putin at a concert in Bucharest: watch the video online
Social media, in particular Threads, sharply criticized both Korzh himself for his unclear position, as well as Ukrainians who continue to admire the Belarusian singer who sings in Russian.
How Threads criticized Korzh and the Ukrainians who went to his concert in Romania / Screenshots from the network
What did Max Korzh say about the war in Ukraine before?
Recall that in 2015, the Belarusian singer performed in annexed Crimea – in particular, in Sevastopol and Simferopol.
After that, he emphasized that he was “outside politics” and that his listeners were “apolitical people.” Korzh also wrote that he could not influence the course of “well-known events,” referring to the war between Russia and Ukraine.
In 2022, he spoke out against the invasion and called for peace in Ukraine, without clearly stating that it was Russia that attacked Ukraine .
A few months later, Korzh released the song “Svoy dom” (My Home) , in which he mentioned the war in Ukraine. At the same time, the lyrics also mention “brotherly nations” , which are often promoted by Russian propaganda. Such formulations create the impression that there is no difference between Ukrainians and Russians. As a result, a clear understanding of who is the aggressor and who is the victim may disappear.
Many perceive the singer's avoidance of clear political statements as an attempt to “sit on two chairs” so as not to lose fans in either Ukraine or Russia.
It is also worth noting that although the artist does not officially perform in Russia and Belarus, it is known that Korzh's manager, who, as indicated on his website, is responsible for rights and content, continues to work in the Russian market, supporting the economy of the terrorist country.