STORY: Fans waving the national flags of Russia, Columbia, India, China and other countries flocked to the "Live Arena" in Moscow region late on Saturday (September 20) as Russia launched the final of its "Intervision" international song contest.

Singers at "Intervision" hail from 23 countries accounting for more than half the world's population, including China, India and Brazil, and are competing for a cash prize of 30 million roubles ($360,000).

Serbia is the only country to take part in both Eurovision and Intervision. Russia has been excluded from the Eurovision song contest since Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022.

This year, Putin announced his rival contest, with a top Kremlin aide named to head the supervisory board. Kyiv has called the event "an instrument of hostile propaganda."

Songs can be performed in any language. A professional jury of representatives from each country will decide the outcome, rather than the viewing public.

Intervision revives the name of a music contest that Moscow used to stage in the Soviet era with its Eastern European satellite states. The new version will feature acts from countries Russia now considers friendly, including Belarus, Cuba, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE and Venezuela.

In contrast to Eurovision's famed kitsch, Intervision's Russian organizers say they propound "traditional, universal and family values."

Moscow will be represented at Intervision by "Shaman," whose real name is Yaroslav Dronov, with a Russian-language song called "Straight to the Heart."

Dronov, who once simulated detonating a nuclear bomb on stage, has ridden a wave of war-fueled patriotism with songs such as "I am Russian" to become a staple on Russian state TV.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 20, 2025) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. SPECTATORS ARRIVING

2. FANS WALKING NEAR CONCERT HALL

3. TWO WOMEN WITH SERBIAN FLAGS CHATTING

4. WOMEN WITH INDIAN FLAGS POSING FOR PHOTOS

5. WOMAN IN WHITE DRESS WITH RUSSIAN FLAG

6. FANS SINGING "I AM RUSSIAN" SONG BY SINGER NAMED SHAMAN

7. RUSSIAN FANS SUPPORTING COLUMBIA

8. FANS POSING FOR PHOTO

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) FAN FROM TAJIKISTAN (NO NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

"I came from Tajikistan. Of course (I will be supporting) our (compatriot) Farrukh Hasanov. I am sure he will win. I hope this will happen. He has a wonderful voice. We all love and adore him."

10. ARAB FANS CHATTING

11. TWO WOMEN SUPPORTING CUBA SINGING

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAN FROM VIETNAM, LIEM (NO LAST NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

"Intervision is also, you know, a good opportunity to do the cultural exchange and opportunity to understand each other. And we are also very happy to be here and support our singer today to compete with others from other countries."

13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) FAN FROM CHINA (NO NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

"I think the Intervision is more about culture exchange more than music competition."

14. PARTICIPANTS WALKING

15. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) FAN FROM RUSSIA, MARINA KASYANOVA, SAYING:

"It is hard to compare (Intervision with Eurovision) so far. I like the fact that countries from all around the world are represented here. This is an aspect where it (Intervision) is better than Eurovision. I am actively cheering for China. I love China very much and learn Chinese. I like the song by (Chinese contestant) Wang Xi very much."

16. CONTESTANT FROM SOUTH AFRICA, LADY DU, WALKING

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MEMBER OF 'MZANSI JIKELELE GROUP' REPRESENTING SOUTH AFRICA, LADY DU, SAYING:

"We are very excited to be here. The fact that we are competing with other countries from around the world is such a great opportunity. So, I would like to thank the Russia Intervision family for hosting us and looking after us, making sure we are fine, we eat right, we sleep right. And we appreciate just being here, you know."

18. FANS SINGING "I AM RUSSIAN" SONG BY SHAMAN

19. PRO-KREMLIN SINGER SHAMAN WALKING WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND EKATERINA MIZULINA WHO HEADS SEMI-OFFICIAL WATCHDOG IN CHARGE OF ONLINE CENSORSHIP CALLED "SAFE INTERNET LEAGUE"

20. RUSSIAN SINGER DIMA BILAN, WHO WON EUROVISION IN 2008, WALKING

21. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN SINGER, DIMA BILAN, SAYING:

"I am expecting miracles, beauty, art exchange, big songs and interesting music. I have lots of various expectations."

22. CAMERAMEN FILMING

23. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS LINING UP

24. PARTICIPANTS TAKING SELFIES

25. CONTESTANT FROM CHINA, WANG XI, APPROACHING MEDIA

26. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CONTESTANT FROM CHINA, WANG XI, SAYING:

"(ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL TRANSLATION) It was wonderful. Thanks a lot, Intervision for gathering all the 23 countries so that we gathered and had such a big cultural exchange."

27. CONTESTANT FROM TAJIKISTAN, FARRUKH HASANOV, APPROACHING MEDIA

28. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CONTESTANT FROM TAJIKISTAN, FARRUKH HASANOV, SAYING:

"The crowd was crazy, my friends. I have performed in many places and many countries but I can tell you for sure that there is nothing quite like the crowd in Russia. These people are so warm and musical, that when you stay on stage for a couple more seconds, you will be ripped to shreds (means the crowd would not let the singer leave the stage). This is so cool."

29. CAMERAMEN FILMING