OREANDA-NEWS. The Russians will not be able to vote for the participants of the Eurovision international music contest, the semi-final of which starts on May 10 in Turin, RIA Novosti reports the statement of the organizers of the competition. The executive producer of Euro, Claudio Fazulo, stressed that only residents of the participating countries can vote, and Russia has lost this opportunity this year.

Voting during the competition is possible only from countries that participate in it. Russia, not participating in the event, cannot vote from its territory, he said.

In 2018, when the singer Yulia Samoilova was announced as a participant from the country and did not reach the final of the competition, the Russians could vote for their favorite participant in the final. According to the rules of the competition, viewers can vote in the specific semi-final in which their country participates, while in the final, all member countries of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) vote.

However, on February 26, Channel One, the Ostankino radio house and the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company announced their withdrawal from the EBU. This decision was a response to the removal of Russia from Eurovision, which Russian broadcasters called "an inappropriate political sacrifice."