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Russian Choirs Perform at UN General Assembly, Celebrating War and Soviet Legacy

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Liubava Petriv
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Russian Choirs Perform at UN General Assembly, Celebrating War and Soviet Legacy
Performance by Russian Artists at the UN on May 5, 2025. (Source: Russian Mission to the UN)

The UN General Assembly Hall in New York hosted a concert by the Turetsky Choir and the female vocal group Soprano on May 5—Russian ensembles known for supporting Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Despite their public endorsement of Russia’s full-scale invasion and repeated performances for Russian troops, the groups were allowed to perform a program of Soviet military and patriotic songs at the heart of the United Nations.

“It’s a real miracle — despite the sanctions, we’ve come to visit you,” said Mikhail Turetsky, founder of the Turetsky Choir.

The event was officially dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in World War II, with songs such as “Three Tankmen,” “Smuglyanka,” “Dark Night,” “Cranes,” “Katyusha,” and “Victory Day” on the program.

Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, opened the concert with a welcome speech:

“This day is a sacred date for every Russian, for the peoples of the former Soviet Union, and for all those who honor the memory of those who saved humanity from Nazism,” he said.

Later in the speech, Nebenzia added:

“Let this evening serve as a reminder not only of the past, but also of our shared responsibility for peace today and tomorrow.”

The performance is part of the Kremlin-backed project “Unity Songs,” supported by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture, with the Moscow city government as its general partner.

The project’s founder, Mikhail Turetsky, has publicly supported Russia’s war, calling it a “battle of Anglo-Saxons against Slavs.” His groups have previously performed for Russian military forces and on territories occupied during the invasion of Ukraine.

Despite their propagandistic role and ties to Russian state narratives, the ensembles continue touring internationally. Their 2025 “Songs of Victory” tour includes stops in Belgrade, Tirana, Budapest, Vienna, Rome, Paris, New York, and Berlin—some of them hosted at Russian embassies or cultural centers.

Attendees at the New York performance reportedly included veterans, diplomats, and journalists, though the identities of the guests remain undisclosed.

The UN Secretary-General and the organization’s press service did not publicly release information about the concert.

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