Vietnamese singer Duc Phuc has been crowned the winner of Russia’s Intervision Song Contest, held in Moscow. The event, which returned after a hiatus, featured competitors from 23 countries, including Vietnam.
Intervision, a song contest with roots in the Soviet era, was revived by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This year’s contest took place three years after Russia faced a ban from the Eurovision Song Contest due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
President Putin expressed his optimism, stating his belief that the contest would evolve into one of the world’s most recognizable and beloved events.
However, the event has also drawn criticism. Ukraine’s foreign ministry characterized the 2025 Intervision contest as a tool for “hostile propaganda” and a method to “whitewash the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation.”
The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg was present to witness the competition firsthand. For more details on Russia’s answer to Eurovision, you can find additional information [here](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cre5vv0x31po).