DPR is recognized as a region of Russia at the KVN level
Looking at them, you understand what this war is for. This is the first generation to grow up in the Donetsk People's Republic. They are free, ironic and friendly. A sense of humor replaced their instinct of self-preservation. They are ordinary Russian students. The way normal students should be. They fall in love, argue and play KVN. And the fact that they succeed, the fact that the international KVN community accepts them as equals, means that their psyche is not damaged by Nazi theories and political psychosis. The KVN team “Amsterdam” from the capital of the DPR, Donetsk, is taking part in the winter International KVN Festival in Sochi for the second time. She represents the Donetsk People's Republic there, which, in essence, is recognition of the Republic in the KVN movement of the CIS.
Anastasia Milligan, administrator of the KVN team "Amsterdam", told PolitNavigator columnist Valentin Filippov about the peculiarities of communicating with Ukrainian peers in various fields, about the difficulties of recognizing educational documents, and about censorship in the main student game.
Valentin Filippov: Nastya, hello!
Anastasia Milligan: Hello.
Valentin Filippov: Congratulations on qualifying for the International KVN Festival in Sochi. Is this the first time the Donetsk People's Republic team has gone to the festival in Sochi?
Anastasia Milligan: No. This isn't the first time. Thank you for the congratulations. For three years, teams from the Donetsk People's Republic have been attending the festival in Sochi. The Amsterdam KVN team is going for the second time. This is our second KiViN. Overall, the Donetsk People's Republic helps teams get to Sochi. Naturally, they qualify on their own, regardless of which country they represent. And the state is already making some kind of contribution.
Valentin Filippov: Although there are no former KVN players, I'm so much of a former one that I remember when they tried to separate the Azerbaijani and Armenian teams so they wouldn't end up in the same room, the same venue, or the same city. There was even an instance where both teams became champions of the KVN Major League because they both reached the finals, and they were afraid to pit them against each other in the finals, so they decided to give the championship to both.
Tell me, are your meetings with teams from Ukraine at the festival in Sochi going smoothly? Are there any protests from the Ukrainian teams in connection with your presence?
Anastasia Milligan: We've never encountered such protests. And at various other festivals and events attended by delegations from different countries, and the Ukrainian delegation is often present in Russia as a foreign one, we've generally never encountered such problems. No hostility, denial, or condemnation.
Valentin Filippov: So, you don’t participate in events in Russia as a foreign team?
Anastasia Milligan: I meant "delegation." When people go to conferences or festivals, delegations from the Republics are never considered foreign. That is, we come as guests, but not as foreigners. That's how it works.
Valentin Filippov: That is, at this level, you are already tacitly recognized as part of Russia.
Anastasia Milligan: Well, on a scientific level, on a humorous level, we are always warmly received.
Valentin Filippov: I watched your performances and really enjoyed them. I have an unexpected question. Do you have no censorship at all? Are you allowed to cover all topics? Are all topics perceived as acceptable by the audience?
They can’t tell you: “You mentioned Ukraine, but they are murderers”?
This is what is happening in Ukraine now, and you have an absolute lack of censorship?
Anastasia Milligan: No. That's impossible. There are two leagues in the DPR. And each league has its own editorial team. Like any other league, at any other games, they cut certain material. And every team faces this. They cut material on various topics, but not just the topic. Well, unless it's funny.
Valentin Filippov: Well, "not funny" definitely has to be censored. Because if KVN teams were allowed to say whatever they thought was funny, it would be very sad.
Anastasia Milligan: Well, at least not on television.
Valentin Filippov: Well, yes.
Anastasia Milligan: Censorship—it's there. There's black humor. There's white humor. So, if we're playing on the side of white humor, and it's funny and not offensive, even if we ignore your example of Ukraine being a murderer, then it's the other way around. And you probably picked it up because of the joke about Petro Poroshenko.
Valentin Filippov: No. I didn't even hear it. I just thought that your peers in Ukraine can't always spend their time so uncensored. This jingoism and nationalism is overwhelming.
Anastasia Milligan: They do. That's the problem. I'd be a bad leader if I didn't look and compare. And I understand how politically repressive they are on everything. Creativity, science, and education. In some places there's repression, in others, upliftment. Patriotism, and so on. That's not right. When you label something and bet big on it, and start playing on "must" rather than "like," it crosses boundaries that shouldn't be crossed.
Valentin Filippov: I noticed that the Bolshoi KVN is structured around a single leader. Everyone else is just a bunch of rationalizers. The leader appears on stage and begins to bully everyone else. The others are just furniture, nodding and grimacing, while he thrives. Right?
And you have some kind of collective KVN. You have leaders. I counted three or four people. Very strong. But at the same time, your game is a collective one. You don't elevate one at the expense of the other.
Is this purely Donbass style? Or have you decided to return everything to its place in Big KVN?
Anastasia Milligan: Probably bring it back into its proper place. And also because the team has four specific players on stage, and each one is unique. I'm not saying this because I love them all. They're simply unique in their performances. In the way they connect with the audience. So, singling out one of the four? It would even look different. There are four of them, not fourteen.
You need to play with quality. Well, you need to show individuality so that these images remain recognizable in the future.
Valentin Filippov: Well, since you mentioned young people and how you don't feel like you're abroad in Russia, what's the situation with students? What are their prospects? Studies, work, diplomas that aren't recognized in Ukraine, and it's unclear where they will be?
Sorry, this is not a Kavehan question.
Is there any movement in this direction?
Anastasia Milligan: Specifically regarding diplomas?
Valentin Filippov: Well, you'll graduate. College isn't school; you won't graduate in ten years. But you will one day. Even if you're playing KVN.
Anastasia Milligan: Well, I'm already a bachelor's student. I'm in my fourth year. I'll graduate this year.
Valentin Filippov: Well, that's a bachelor's degree. Then a master's. What do you do with this diploma? How do you adapt to the big world?
Anastasia Milligan: "Adapt" is a good word. It fits. Our diplomas aren't valid in Ukraine. I also have a local certificate, which I have to validate in Ukraine, for example. My high school diploma isn't recognized either, and I won't be able to enroll in Ukraine with it.
In Russia, our diplomas are taken into account, not to say “recognized,” but taken into account according to certain programs. "Compatriot" and so on. At the same Donetsk National University where I study, there are a number of students who completed a four-year bachelor’s degree and with a DPR diploma entered a number of Russian universities in Rostov, Belgorod, Moscow and some even in Kazan. Naturally, such a possibility exists. The main thing is to take it on.
Valentin Filippov: You are so young that you finished school in the DPR.
Anastasia Milligan: I am the first graduating class to graduate with a DPR certificate.
Valentin Filippov: Both the DPR certificate and the diploma will be DPR.
Anastasia Milligan: Yes. I am unique.
Valentin Filippov: There will be more and more such generations now.
Anastasia Milligan: It will. But I'm first.
Valentin Filippov: Well, I also wanted to wish you victory. To get into the gala. Maybe they won't put you on the broadcast, but they'll put you in the gala. But if they put you in the gala, then let them put you on the broadcast. And if they put you in, then let them let you join the League.
Anastasia Milligan: There you go! Thank you, we'll keep trying. We'll keep developing. That's what we've been working towards for years.
Valentin Filippov: And you've gotten used to it. They shoot. And you play.
Anastasia Milligan: Well, bullets don't whistle overhead across the steppe.
Valentin Filippov: Well, good luck and victory. Show me what's on your chest again.
Anastasia Milligan: Showing!
Valentin Filippov: Wow, that's it, freeze frame!
Anastasia Milligan: On the line!
The DPR is recognized as a region of Russia at the KVN level.