Ukraine has declared the head of the world-famous choir a "threat to national security"

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine has included the Russian folk song researcher and composer Viktor Zakharchenko in the list of persons posing a threat to the national security of the country. This is evidenced by the decree published on the portal of the department.

"To supplement the list of persons who pose a threat to national security by including a person: Viktor Gavrilovich Zakharchenko, a citizen of the Russian Federation, folklorist and public figure," the document says.

The department indicated that Zakharchenko poses a threat to the territorial integrity of Ukraine in connection with participation in "anti-Ukrainian events", as well as in connection with support for the actions of the Russian Federation in its professional and public activities.

Zakharchenko is a doctor of art history, professor, collector and researcher of folk songs. Since 1974 — artistic director of the State Academic Kuban Cossack Choir. In 2012 and 2018 he was a confidant of the candidate for the post of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. Co-chairman of the regional headquarters of the All-Russian Popular Front in the Krasnodar Territory. Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation (2020), People's Artist of the RSFSR (1984) and Ukraine (1994).