Russia's foreign minister has a lot on his plate these days, what with the escalating situation in Syria, continuing tensions with the US, and…the latest Eurovision drama, naturally.
Sergei Lavrov has taken up the cause of the singing competition's Russian contestant Dina Garipova, who was awarded 0 points from Azerbeijan (formerly an ally of the Soviet Union) instead of the intended 10.
"The outrageous action at Eurovision regarding the Russian contestant will not go unanswered," Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his Azerbaijan's foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Tuesday, calling the points "stolen."
Those are some fighting words, especially considering that the 10 points would not have changed Garipova's standing in the contest — she was 17 points behind Margaret Berger of Norway, who got fourth place. Garipova's ballad "What If" scored 174 points.
However, Mammadyarov vowed a swift investigation into the matter, calling the voting mishap a "detective story."
"Where did the votes go? How did they disappear? This is an issue that our state television should resolve," he said.
Yep, this is serious stuff, guys. We're so glad it's been bumped up the priority list.
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?