ST. PETERSBURG, August 11. Actor Ivan Okhlobystin spoke about the artists who left, in his opinion, they had no right to «leave their combat post», but he will not evaluate their actions.
«As for those people who left us, I think it's not very decent. Here's a doctor who takes the Hippocratic oath that he will save and heal. And artists and, in general, the cultural environment in difficult times should entertain, distract, and console. It's almost a pastoral mission. We have no right to leave our combat post, because of this situation. It would be better if it were a secular post, but it turned out to be a combat post,» Okhlobystin told journalists while accompanying a group of children from Donetsk who came to the «Island of Forts» in Kronstadt.
He added that the decision to move to another country is a personal choice for everyone. «If it's not about outright betrayal, then there's nothing to evaluate. Some people feel at ease, just like I do. Every time I go to new territories, I can't help but feel like I'm really needed here,» Okhlobystin said.