Kanye West's Planned Russia Shows Canceled Amid Controversy
The rapper's highly anticipated concerts in St. Petersburg and Moscow were officially called off following criticism and uncertainty about venue agreements.
Kanye West's planned concerts in Russia have been officially canceled after weeks of uncertainty and public criticism. The events in St. Petersburg and Moscow were met with controversy, including objections from Russia's Foreign Ministry.
Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, deemed the planned shows unacceptable, citing West's past "glorification" of Hitler. West has previously been associated with controversial statements and merchandise, including swastika T-shirts and a song titled "Heil Hitler" in 2025.
Further complicating matters, pro-war bloggers in Russia questioned the appropriateness of hosting an American artist while the United States provides financial and military support to Ukraine. Chaos had surrounded the St. Petersburg shows since the stadium initially stated it had not agreed to host the rapper.
West has not yet publicly commented on the cancellation of his Russian dates. This follows a pattern of canceled appearances for the artist. Last summer, his scheduled headline performance at London's Wireless Festival was canceled when he was barred from entering the UK, leading to the cancellation of the entire event.
Similar cancellations also affected planned shows for West in Poland, Italy, and France. West's most recent major concert in the United States was held in Los Angeles in April, and he has since performed in other countries, including Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands.