Kanye ‘Ye’ West to perform in Russia – a first since invasion of Ukraine in 2022
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Kanye ‘Ye’ West’s 2026 European tour didn’t go so well, after multiple countries banned or cancelled his performances.
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Now, it has been reported that the controversial US rapper will perform two high-profile stadium shows in St Petersburg in October, according to a post by the Telegram channel of Gazprom Arena – the stadium where the concerts are scheduled to take place.
If the concerts scheduled for 10 and 11 October go ahead, West would become the first major Western music star to perform in Russia since the country launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
These concerts would take place amid the ongoing controversy surrounding West, who has faced concert cancellations and performance bans this year due to his past antisemitic remarks, including praise for Adolf Hitler and the use of Nazi imagery.
Countries like England, France, Italy, Poland and Switzerland all pulled the plug on West, while the Netherlands and Turkey maintained his shows, sparking a debate on what constitutes freedom of speech in Europe.
It remains to be seen whether even these two Russian gigs will go ahead, as there has already been some criticism from conservative activists wishing to rid the country of any Western influence.
Conservative Russian lawmaker Vitaly Milonov released a video statement in which he suggested West should perform traditional Russian songs instead of his planned setlist. “Maybe after that he’ll stop his disgusting antics and become a normal person,” he said.
West’s anti-Semitic remarks began in 2022, when he made a series of offensive comments on social media which ended up getting him booted off both X and Instagram. The musician was dropped by his talent agency and fashion brands like Adidas and Balenciaga also distanced themselves from West.
West went on to post a picture of KKK robes, rescind his previous apology to the Jewish community, declare himself “a Nazi” and assert that he has“dominion over his wife”.
In February 2025, West started selling swastika t-shirts, and in May, he released a song titled ‘Heil Hitler’, which praised the Nazi leader. This led him to be stripped of a visa to enter Australia and faced with immediate arrest in Brazil.
West apologised for his actions and took out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal earlier this year. He addressed his past antisemitic comments, reflecting on a “four-month-long manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour” and saying that he “lost touch with reality.”
Still, many questioned the timing of his apology, considering the recent release of his new album ‘Bully’.