A number of Russian stars from the performing arts world are using their voices and international platforms to denounce the invasion of Ukraine and speak up against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Israel is keeping good ties with ally Putin, as well as with Ukraine. But the owners of Jerusalem's Putin Pub, a bar for Russian-speaking immigrants, erased his name when Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russian vodka is being pulled from many shelves and the country's soccer team may find few willing opponents in the near term. But for the most part, experts say, the protests are largely symbolic.
The U.S. and European allies are ramping up sanctions against Russia that include moving to cut off certain Russian banks from the key bank messaging system.
Russia's capture of the Chernobyl nuclear plant raised alarms across the international community, with many world leaders wondering if Russia chose to seize the area for a specific reason.
Organizers cited concerns that "the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year's Contest would bring the competition into disrepute" in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Last year, the region imported more than 36 million metric tons of wheat, mostly from Russia and Ukraine. The concern is that Russia's war in Ukraine could disrupt supplies and drive up prices.