MOSCOW, May 16. /TASS/. Russia does not need the Eurovision Song Contest, where singers have to compete with artists who position themselves as "sexless monsters," member of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Culture and Education Airat Gibatdinov told TASS.

Earlier, Eurovision head Martin Green said in an interview with British radio station LBC that Russia could be allowed to participate in the music competition.

"Remembering performances with demonic images, men in female images, artists who position themselves as sexless monsters, and other attempts to shock the public at any cost, we can immediately say that we do not need such a competition. You shouldn't even compete with such inhumans," Gibatdinov said.

According to him, Russian artists are able to show the highest class on any stage. But the question is whether they need a platform where music has long since faded into the background, giving way to politics and provocation, the senator noted.

"Today it is more important for Russia to invest in its own cultural projects and cooperation with friendly countries of the CIS, Asia, BRICS. Our culture has enough strength and talent to set standards without the approval of European producers," Gibatdinov said.

On February 25, 2022, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said that Russia would not be represented at Eurovision over the events in Ukraine. The next day, VGTRK, Channel One television channels and the Ostankino radio station withdrew from the EBU. EBU Director General Noel Curran claimed that the membership of Russian television and radio broadcasters in the union was suspended due to regular non-fulfillment of obligations and non-observance of the values of national broadcasters.

Eurovision is an international pop song contest that has been held since 1956 among the EBU member countries. Currently, the EBU covers more than 110 companies from more than 50 countries, mainly European. The broadcasts of the annual Eurovision Song Contest attract an audience of about 180 million viewers.