Latvia's statement against Russia's participation in Venice Biennale is backed by 22 countries

The Ministry of Culture of Latvia has called for Russia’s participation in the upcoming Venice Biennale to be reconsidered, with 22 countries signing a joint statement urging organizers to review the decision.

The letter, addressed to Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, the board of La Biennale di Venezia, and Italy’s culture minister Alessandro Giuli, was signed by culture and foreign ministers from countries including Austria, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine. The ministers said that for more than a century the Biennale has symbolized artistic freedom and therefore carries a broader moral responsibility. The statement stressed that culture shapes how societies understand the world and should not be separated from political realities.

The letter also highlighted Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian cultural heritage and noted that Moscow remains under international sanctions for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty. Signatories argued that international cultural platforms must not be used to legitimize military aggression. The European Commission also urged organizers to reconsider, with Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen warning that EU funding for the Biennale could be suspended if Russia is allowed to reopen its pavilion.

Russia was included in the list of participants for the 61st exhibition, with its pavilion titled “The Tree is Rooted in the Sky,” led by commissioner Anastasia Karneeva. She was appointed to the role in 2021 for an eight-year term. Karneeva co-founded the art consulting firm Smart Art with Ekaterina Lavrova, the daughter of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and is also the daughter of retired general Nikolai Volobuyev, who previously held senior roles in Russia’s defense and security structures.

Russians hit an evacuation vehicle with drones in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Russian forces attacked an evacuation vehicle belonging to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine with FPV drones in Zaporizhzhia Oblast while rescuers were evacuating civilians from a frontline village.

According to the service, the team was evacuating a 71-year-old woman and her 70-year-old husband from a frontline settlement. Three rescue workers were in the vehicle when Russian forces launched two FPV drones, which exploded near the car and made it impossible for the crew to continue driving.

No one was injured in the attack. The couple was later safely transported to the city of Zaporizhzhia in another emergency vehicle. Officials said rescue crews continue to carry out evacuations from frontline areas despite the constant danger.

Russia accuses Ukraine of attacking facilities linked to Black Sea gas pipelines

Russia has accused Ukraine of repeatedly attacking energy infrastructure linked to gas supplies for Turkey and allegedly planning sabotage against pipelines in the Black Sea.

Russian energy giant Gazprom claimed its defenses had repelled 12 attacks over the past two weeks on facilities supporting exports through the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow had informed Turkey about what it described as Ukrainian plans to sabotage the infrastructure. The accusations came after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned in late February that any disruption to Black Sea pipelines could undermine peace negotiations.

Gazprom said the Russkaya compressor station (Russian compressor station) was attacked on March 11, while the Beregovaya compressor station and Kazachya compressor station were targeted a day earlier. Russia’s Defense Ministry also reported that its forces shot down 185 Ukrainian drones overnight across multiple regions, including occupied Crimea, the Black Sea, and the Azov Sea.

Kyiv has not commented on the allegations. Ukrainian forces have previously conducted drone strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities, which are a major source of Moscow’s revenue. The accusations come as Volodymyr Zelensky said the next round of peace talks could take place in Turkey, which has hosted earlier negotiations between the two sides.