I asked jazz musician Avishai Cohen to explain these responses to Ukrainians who felt betrayed by his decision to play in Moscow at a festival associated with Putin.
This festival is supported by a presidential initiative. Those participants in the screenshot are paid by putin himself. They accepted an invitation from the person that has an arrest warrant for multiple war crimes.
“This is Alla (Ruta) Pushkarchuk. A young, fragile girl. A deep, talented journalist. A voracious reader who dreamed of opening her own bookstore after the war. A convinced and devoted soldier (that's how Ruta wanted women in the military to be called). Today, Ruta died at the
@OwenJones84
This actually happened. Mariupol. Threate. At a smaller scale, Kharviv, this weekend. And you must know that this happened. So why are you using a horrific war crime to manipulate people with misinformation? The crime is horrible enough in and of itself to not need to resort to
False "Courage": Jazz musician Avishai Cohen, who recently released a new single called "Courage," has deleted his Twitter account and closed comments on Instagram after receiving widespread criticism for his decision to perform at a music festival in Moscow directly associated
I hate the genre of foreigners in Ukraine who center themselves constantly and over-dramatize what they go through by choice while millions of Ukrainians go through worse, without having any say in the matter.
I also asked
@BonaRichard
about his decision to play at the Moscow Jazz Festival, which was funded by the RU government and Putin's office (according to their website), and how many of his Ukrainian fans clearly felt betrayed.
His response to the criticism:
- He does not care
UPDATE: Avishai Cohen is scheduled to play in the Jazz Around festival in Warsaw next week, June 28.
Ukraine supporters have started contacting festival organizers to object, citing his performance at a festival in Moscow funded by Putin's office and his subsequent blocking of
I have a friend in Kyiv who is a Russian immigrant who arrived before the fullscale. She grew up in Siberia and is still learning Ukrainian. She runs and owns restaurants. She is well-know, successful and liked in her sphere. She wanted to live in a free country.
This is approaching actual insanity. These aren’t just easily disprovable lies, they’re literal Kremlin talking points. There is zero danger to ethnic Russians in Ukraine.
Trofimova is getting her money’s worth through Canadian media with no pushback. I’m speechless.
Action. Consequence. The organizers of the Jazz Around festival in Warsaw have canceled Avishai Cohen's gig/participation in response to his decision to perform at a show in Moscow sponsored by Putin's office.
Screenshots appear to show that Cohen responded to Ukrainian fans
False "Courage": Jazz musician Avishai Cohen, who recently released a new single called "Courage," has deleted his Twitter account and closed comments on Instagram after receiving widespread criticism for his decision to perform at a music festival in Moscow directly associated
@i_gil_
@ANUasiapacific
@luke_glanville
@ANUBellSchool
I don't see how Professor Luke Glanville used any kind of recognizable human rights framework in his paper on Ukraine, either. The very thing he is supposed to be an expert on, he essentially ignored, and in a very public and high-profile way. Not fit to lecture students.
Ryan Routh, the suspect in the alleged attempt on Donald Trump’s life, was rejected by Ukraine's International Legion and has no ties to its military. In a 2022 Newsweek interview, he said recruiters deemed him 'too old,' leading him to pursue unofficial PR work.
@owenjonesjourno
@anyamrch
the first statement here is not true. It was not widly reported in the manner he stated. And you are retweeting someone who has a history of spreading unverified, made up stories. The only source is an Russian official and footage showing an explosion. I wish we had better
@IUG_Instinct
@JeriannSev
@badel_cmail
for testosterone level. But is biologically a woman. Born a woman. With female body parts. Has always lived as a woman. And has even been defeated by other women in boxing. By no definition can she be called male.
@Shayan86
Your wording with "volunteered in Ukraine himself" is too imprecise, it could be read to mean he was officially with an organization or a unit, and I don't see anything to indicate that -- please consider adjusting.
@CommieKn0xville
@KakamFella
Ukrainians don't want to be ruled and occupied by Russia. They have a right to self determination, just like Palestinians. Consistently comes from having actual values and ideology and not treating politics like some sort of weird spors fandom or Marvel vs DC.
@DrewPavlou
The piece was published three years ago. You have cropped the date out and used the phrase "right now," which will lead readers to think it was published recently. A great strategy for engagement but also misleading.
@nickshirleyy
The ironic thing here is that you want it to stop by cutting aid: the very aid that funds the missile defense that keeps this ancient and proud city standing, and the people you picture, who are just living their lives, alive. Cynical bastard.
This is sickening to watch from Kyiv. The people who created this situation are the ones who 1) Combined aid to Ukraine with crackdowns on migrant rights (didn't pass), and then 2) Military aid to Israel as it shows no regard for Palestinian lives in its purist of vengeance.
Yes, it is GOP. They run the House.
Ukraine aid should not be contingent on unconditional military aid to Netanyahu and the forced famine of Gazans. That’s what this package does.
Decouple them and I’ll sign on tomorrow. Ukraine aid on its own has the votes to pass, incl mine.
I dislike the intelectual dishonesty of the fake realists who refuse to contend with the fact that no compromise deal was ever on the table that offered Ukraine and Ukrainians both sovereignty and security — because of RU's stubbornness. They didn't want to limit UA's army size
@AaronBastani
@MickAntoniw1
This is a deliberate misrepresentation of the law and its intent. For one, declaring funding and declaring yourself as pursuing the interests of a foreign power is not the same thing. Do you care about the facts here? Shall we go through them? Lots of actual sources and experts.
@Shayan86
@JoohnChoe
This is false. He was not "involved" The word means he was a "part of" something when he was not. Anyone can travel to a place as an individual. It does not make them "involved" or a part of anything. Please pay more attention to journalistic accuracy in your word choices.
Some writers are capable of pointing out the hypocrisy of the West without dehumanizing Ukrainians. Assal Rad, for example. Owen's problem runs deeper than one horrendous tweet (which he still hasn't apologized for or deleted).
When you make an error this egregious, the
My timeline is currently full of apologists for Israeli war crimes claiming I’m an apologist for Putin’s war crimes based on a disingenuous reading of a tweet.
No, I consistently oppose Russian war crimes.
I’m morally consistent. You’re not. We are not the same!
🧵 I consulted with my Ukrainian ESOL students, and we compiled a list of things that should be immediately BANNED in Ukraine. Here’s what they had to say:
1/9 BAN eating eggs on the train. “It smells!” 🥚🚂
Things I wish Ukraine would BAN:
1) Restaurants that mainly serve sushi and pizza (pick one!)
ok, I can't think of anything else right now and have to get back to work. List in progress.
@OwenJones84
It's so morally bankrupt to pit dead kids against each other in this way, Owen. There is nothing "socialist" about it. Nothing "antifascist," and it certainly isn't "left." It's a misinformation tactic that preys on people's emotions and ignorance. It's vile.
@Alonso_GD
We urgently request that Brazil send democracy trainers to the United States as part of bilateral partnerships to strengthen respect and support for the rule of law and democratic processes.
.
@terrelljstarr
: When Putin would talk about about you, about Ukriaine, in a the very derogatory and dehumanizing way, it reminded me of the very deteragatory and racist way that Govenors in the US South would talk about Black people (during the Civil Rights era) — direct,
@M9Scarlett
Your take devalues Black lives, and is racist in practice if not intent. It's absurd to compare unarmed Black people running from police with armed occupying soldiers of a fascist imperialist state.
Action. Consequence. The organizers of the Jazz Around festival in Warsaw have canceled Avishai Cohen's gig/participation in response to his decision to perform at a show in Moscow sponsored by Putin's office.
Screenshots appear to show that Cohen responded to Ukrainian fans
@angeloinchina
Parts of Kensington has been that way for more than a decade, nothing remotely to do with Ukraine. My brother died from opioid addiction in the Philly area. I support Ukraine and live here. And you don't care about Philly or Ukraine, this is just a game to you.
@yanisvaroufakis
Let's be honest, though - disarming Ukraine just leads to an RU takeover and a violent and prolonged occupation. That's not peace. A peace process backed by the major powers is needed, but it won't happen under the conditions you are advocating for, which would only lead to mass
@OwenJones84
@T_Krawchenko
When scores of people tell you that your tweet is being interpreted in a very specific way, the problem might, in fact, be with the tweet and the way you wrote it. It's irresponsible.
A good summary of how a "foreign volunteer" for Ukraine can act with a colonial mindset.
They:
1) Portray Ukrainians as helpless victims or grateful recipients of help.
2) Always center themselves, including their hardships
3) They rarely or never platform Ukrainian voices
@JaredGoyette
@lauri_laik
@RachelPAV
I agree with all your points - his exploitation of children is particularly concerning as they have zero agency given they are usually ‘orphans’. Highly manipulative. Last year his posts were a cynical cycle of kids, older women ‘grandmothers’, dogs & himself as a victim-repeat
I'm both relieved to begin the long journey back to Ukraine and a little heartbroken to leave my daughter after spending the summer with her. She lives with her mom and step-dad, she's happy, but the goodbyes are always hard.
🇺🇦 Soldier, writer, & activist Artem Chapeye explains why he was a signatory of
@commonscomua
's Ukrainian Letter of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
We discussed this, his new English book "The Ukraine" & more in an interview for
@ChytomoE
:
@OwenJones84
@caliredandgreen
Imprecise tweets about horrific war crimes should be deleted. Especially when they are written in a way that seems to erase or deny atrocities.
As an immigrant and a descendant of holocaust survivors, this kind of rhetoric is loathsome. Absolutely loathsome. Scapegoating immigrants and ethnic minorities for all sorts of societal ills (real and imagined) is a classic playbook that leads to a very dark place.
@UA_Nationall
@Adhi_Sekar
I would say yes to 1, 2, and. 3
There are clear cases of Palestinians, sometimes minors, being tortured in detention and arrested and held in prison without trial.
Doesn't justify what happen in the video but important to describe the context accurately.
.
@terrelljstarr
: "If we want to he morally consistent about human rights and the laws we want Russia to follow, they should also apply to Israel. I don't think this is controversial."
@LvivMediaForum
#LMF2024
Reminder: People like this aren’t anti-war; they’re pro-occupation. His goal is to cut aid that funds missile defenses keeping Kyiv standing and the people he uses in his videos alive.
It seems I have upset a side of the internet with this post, I am not claiming that luxury cars and people outside are where US taxes are going. People, myself included are/were surprised to see that certain parts of the capital of Ukraine seems to be functioning as if a war is
@ruinwanderer
Buddy, come on now. People protest their government's policy. There aren't Georgian solidarity encampments on campuses in UA for the same reason.
After organizing a partisan campaign event in a battleground state this week, Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova demonstrated she cannot be trusted to fairly and effectively serve as a diplomat in this country.
President Zelenskyy must immediately remove her.
Reading
@OKhromeychuk
via
@the_ukrainians
in a cafe bar in Dnipro (Plov) while the air alert sirens go off. Spent all day yesterday interviewing musicians and activists for a new Ukrainian publisher. It's a long project but eager to share what I can soon.
.
@dpatrikarakos
described how when he first started covering the war in Donesk in 2014, he saw Russian soliders and tanks, but had to note in his articles that Russia denied their presence. "This is not objectively it's recycling of nonsense."
@Mystetskyi
/ Book Arsenal
I’ve teamed up with a group of Ukrainian solidarity activists in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Ukrainian artist Anastasiia Syva, Belarusian activist Volha Franco and her partner, Paterson Franco, an English professor at
@ufba
. We’re planning on our first event for journalism
New project launch! 🎙️
Starting an indie interview-based livestream from Kyiv every Sunday, focused on civil society, culture, and volunteer efforts.
@VlStarodubtsev
is on board.
1st topic: Best practices for collecting donations for 🇺🇦 and defining "transparency" in practice.
Join us this Sunday for our first Twitter Space and live stream from Kyiv, diving into a topic that's sparked debate among
#NAFO
supporters: best practices for collecting donations for Ukraine and defining what "transparency" means in practice.
We'll be joined by experienced
@PaniScraper
@UAMentioned
Yeah, the GL is part of the context. While we have to acknowledge it, the focus will be more affirmative, as in, what *should" be done, what the challenges are, and what donors should expect. Getting pushback for asking questions is definitely one of those challenges recently.
It's depressing how often people can't get past having their feelings hurt by criticism and understandable anger enough to actually address the reasons why people are upset.
I also asked
@BonaRichard
about his decision to play at the Moscow Jazz Festival, which was funded by the RU government and Putin's office (according to their website), and how many of his Ukrainian fans clearly felt betrayed.
His response to the criticism:
- He does not care
New gig alert!
I've joined
@the_ukrainians
as an English language editor. This award-winning, independent news organization also publishes The Reporters, a magazine dedicated to literary journalism. They also work with photographers in frontline communities. See our coverage of
(1/3) In one of Kyiv's fancier neighborhoods, with its old European architecture and chic cafes, I take voice lessons in a small music studio. The war can feel far away when you're focused on something “unnecessary” like learning a song...
I believe this. This is why I focus on copyediting for Ukrainians, helping them practice Eng, while trying to learn Ukrainian myself, bit by bit. It's a slow but rewarding process.
i endorse this message. too many “experts” abroad still claim they understand Ukraine because they speak russian. you don’t. and until you learn Ukrainian you have no business explaining Ukraine
(3/3) He died at the front. Russia killed him. Artillery. The war touches everything and everyone, even when it’s not immediately apparent. And yet, jackasses on social media seek to twist whatever is beautiful and alive in this city against it.
A realistic discussion of peace has to answer how and why the peace will be lasting. What will prevent RU from attacking again? Why should Ukrainians believe that the "peace" deal being offered isn't their own death warrant in a few years? That is the "adult conversation."
It bothers me to see foreigners asking Ukrainians to work for free, especially in dangerous areas. Get your "stuff" together. Don't exploit other people or put them at risk because you are disorganized or not ready for this kind of work.
@fromTGA
Please clarify because, as you can see in the comments, it is very easy to interpret this post as a nativist xenophobic attack on a refugee athlete who overcame incredible challenges to be where she is today. I hope that is beneath you.
"I don’t give a damn about geopolitical chess when my kids and my wife have to run away from our home. And sometimes I feel like these people don’t feel the anguish of the people on the ground or the millions that have to run away [...] They deny agency to Ukrainians."
Back in the corridor of my Kyiv apartment. The last explosion was too close. Too percussive. Multiple reposts of ballistic missles. The Monday morning/ pre work week pattern of attacks is definitely still a thing.
@owenjonesjourno
The fact that he is opposed to the invasion does not make him a credible source of information. He has proven himself to have little to no sourcing standards over and over again.
NOTING: Lula has been a clear voice opposing violence against civilians in Gaza - condemning a recent IDF attack that resulted in the death of 90 people — but just a week prior, he said absolutely nothing after Russia bombed a children's hospital in Kyiv.
O governo de Israel segue sabotando o processo de paz e o cessar-fogo no Oriente Médio. O mais recente bombardeio promovido na Faixa de Gaza vitimando centenas de inocentes é inadmissível. Agora com mais de 90 vítimas fatais e quase 300 feridos em tendas que abrigavam crianças,
Let's not forget: It's not just the GOP; Biden also bears responsibility for creating this toxic dynamic.
This approach is not in Ukraine's long-term interests. But the short term takes precedence now. The barbarians could soon be at the gates.
I will check to see if she is comfortable being interviewed. And I don't want to infer that she has never faced tension. Also don't want to over simplify. But her daily lived experience is a rebuttal to the idea that someone from Russia is inherently unsafe in Ukraine.
I'm sick with worry. For my friends and colleagues. For all the activists and musicians I've spoken to and interviewed over the last few days. They know what's at stake, and the fate that waits them if Russia occupies their cities: death or imprisonment, maybe worse.
@MBielieskov
@Newsweek
They increasingly operate like a content farm, fast and quick aggregations with little to no original reporting. And stuff like this tends to happen when you take that kind of approach.
@johnnyjmils
"Renounded American journalist Scott Ritter." I spit out the water I was drinking. You delivered that line with such a straight face and in such a solem tone. Gotta love British humor.
@BiazitaGomes
Anti Maduro Venezuelan diaspora votes are critical in Florida, which of course plays a huge role in deciding the presidential election. This move plays well to a crucial block of voters in an important state.