Just in: Valentina Lisitsa is silenced by Dutch airline

Ukrainian agitators have persuaded the Dutch airline KLM to take down audio tracks by the pro-Russian pianist from their in-flight entertainment. Valentina has expressed approval for Russia’s annexation of parts of Crimea and has performed with pro-Russian militants (pictured).

Inna Thorn, a Canada-based Ukrainian, wrote to KLM:

I traveled this August with KLM‬ from Canada to Netherlands and then to Ukraine and was appalled to see Valentina Lisitsa‬ being featured in your in-flight entertainment.

This year Ms. Lisitsa contract and concerts were cancelled by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra because of her heinous tweets where she calls Ukrainians “dog shit”, “pigs”, “nazi” and celebrates terrorists responsible for taking down MH17‬ and killing close to 300 people on board including nearly 200 Dutch citizens*.

I am certain the Dutch airline company KLM will reconsider their decision about including a xenophobic performer in their entertainment programming after being informed about Ms. Lisitsa’s other performance. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

KLM replied:

Dear Inna en Dmitry. First of all, please accept our apologies for the delay in the reply. We do appreciate passengers who reach out to us and point out something as sensitive and fragile as this matter. Our organization still mourns for the loss of the countless innocent lives lost on the MH17 flight. We regret that we were not able to catch this before, but have taken immediate action. The artist will be removed from the playlist in our Inflight Entertainment as soon as possible. Thank you once again for being observant and notifying us about this immediately.

* NL adds: This is an unfounded allegation. I don’t recall Valentina making any reference to the MH17. But she has given a celebratory concert in Donbass and mingled with the rebel militias.