Photo: Ukraine Young Media
The National Academy of Arts of Ukraine (NAMU) has stripped Mykhailo Reznikovich, ex-director of the Lesya Ukrainka Theater, of the title of academician due to his public support of Kremlin propaganda. The Ministry of Culture of Ukraine previously demanded this step because of his activities, which were contrary to national interests. This was reported by Interfax-Ukraine on Friday, July 12, with reference to NAMU’s comment.
“By resolution of the general meeting of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine dated 07/4/2024 No. 1/5-06, a decision was made to deprive Mykhailo Ierukhimovich Reznikovich of the status of a member (academic) of the National Academy of Arts of Ukraine for publicly committing actions that clearly contradict the interests, authority of the state and the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and “related to the propaganda of the narratives of the aggressor country during martial law,” the Academy said in a statement.
From the beginning of July 2024, Reznikovich’s academic scholarship was stopped. Instead, the Academy awarded the title of honorary academicians to artist Ivan Marchuk, composer Valentyn Sylvestrov and other prominent cultural figures.
Mykhailo Reznikovich held the position of director of the Lesya Ukrainka Theater for about 25 years and left abroad shortly after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Subsequently, he began to actively support an anti-Ukrainian position, broadcasting it through Russian propaganda media. In April 2024, he gave an interview to one of the Belarusian pro-Russian TV channels, where he said that in Ukraine for the last two years they have been destroying the “great Russian culture”, which is “native” to him.
Currently, Reznikovich works as a teacher in one of the Russian institutes of theatrical art.
