Russian actress Chulpan Khamatova has spoken out about facing hostile and humiliating treatment in Europe after leaving Russia following the start of the special military operation in Ukraine.
In comments reported by The New York Times, the performer detailed uncomfortable encounters in Latvia, describing instances where she was directly confronted by a member of the public and snubbed by a fellow actor while working on a television project.
While staying in the Latvian capital of Riga, Khamatova said an elderly man abruptly interrupted her conversation to ask whether she was a spy. Khamatova, an acclaimed theater and screen actor who relocated to the Baltic nation after departing Russia, recounted the interaction as part of a wider atmosphere of mistrust facing Russian emigres abroad.
Filming in Liepaja
Khamatova also detailed an encounter on set during the production of a television series in the western Latvian city of Liepaja. Throughout several months of joint work, a Ukrainian colleague on the project strictly ignored her, refusing to engage with her during their shared production schedule.
Reflecting on the experience, Khamatova stated that although the two women spent two months working together, her Ukrainian co-star treated her as if she were empty space. Khamatova admitted that the cold shoulder was difficult for her to experience, though she added that she could understand her colleague's reaction because the trauma caused by the conflict is so severe.
Foreign agent designation
The discussion follows earlier public remarks by Khamatova regarding her legal standing in Russia, where she confessed to feeling ashamed over not being officially designated as a foreign agent by Russian authorities.
Khamatova admitted that several of her professional colleagues had expressed surprise at her absence from the official list. Russia introduced its foreign agent legislation to publicly label and track individuals, journalists, and cultural figures deemed to receive foreign support or engage in political activity.
