- Title: Award-winning filmmaker Kusturica says Crimea part of Russia
- Date: 24th July 2017
- Summary: YALTA, CRIMEA (JULY 23, 2017) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** SERBIAN FILMMAKER AND MUSICIAN EMIR KUSTURICA WALKING ALONG STREET SURROUNDED BY MEDIA AND SECURITY LIGHTHOUSE PEOPLE AT PROMENADE KUSTURICA AT NEWS CONFERENCE CAMERAMEN (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) SERBIAN FILM DIRECTOR AND MUSICIAN, EMIR KUSTURICA, SAYING: "Your life, your culture confirm that you are (a part of) Russia. How can a person say from (BREAKS INTO SERBIAN) can say if Crimea is Russia or not. There is no need to wait (for what) they will say about you. I think this is not important, because you are part of Great Russia and you did what you had to do. You said what you wanted, you said yes." CAMERAS NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AHEAD OF PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE CONCERT HALL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) HOLIDAY MAKER, IRINA PETROVA, SAYING: "I would say this is interesting for us and we want to know his other side better, to know him as a musician because I don't know anything about him from that side. Although today I read that he has been performing with his group for twenty years and is very popular." CONCERT BANNER WITH PHOTO OF KUSTURICA
- Embargoed: 7th August 2017 13:22
- Keywords: Crimea Yalta Emir Kusturica film director musician concert rock band The No Smoking Orchestra
- Location: YALTA, CRIMEA
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016R2TZRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Award-winning filmmaker Emir Kusturica, who has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for his leadership skills, told a news conference in Crimea on Sunday (July 23) that the Black Sea peninsula was part of Russia.
Kusturica, who has met Putin and last year received the Order of Friendship award from the Russian leader in the Kremlin, said Crimeans had chosen to be part of Russia in a referendum and that their culture showed where their identity was.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
Kusturica's comments and visit drew sharp criticism from Ukraine, with deputy prime minister Vyacheslav Kirilenko saying the Serbian filmmaker had disrespected Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars, according to local media. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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