Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the revival of the Soviet-era Intervision Song Contest, positioning it as an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest, from which Russia was banned in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Feb. 3 ordering the revival of the Intervision song contest, the Soviet Union's equivalent to Eurovision. The Eurovision Song Contest banned Russia from participation in 2022 following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Intervision has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when it took place in Czechoslovakia and replaced the International Song Festival in Sopot. The contemporary edition holds particular significance following Russia's exclusion from Eurovision.