Russia rattles Eurovision with Intervision revival: Here's what you need to know

Barred from Eurovision, Russia decided to launch the final of its own international song competition at President Vladimir Putin’s demand on Saturday, September 20, 2025

Intervision was a regular feature of the Soviet States in the 1960s and 70s.

The Intervision is one of the contests that followed after Russia was barred from participating in the Eurovision since it launched a full-scale war on Ukraine in 2022.

On Saturday night, the lights in Moscow’s 11,000 capacity Live Arena will host the highly anticipated Intervision song contest final today.

It is seen as a countermeasure to Europe’s pop music powerhouse, Eurovision.

Although, the organizers are viewing it as a revival of the Soviet-era name and acts that are intended to promote “traditional family values.”

Singers from 23 countries are participating in Intervision 2025, which accounts for more than half the global population, including China, India, and Brazil, and the participants will be competing for a cash prize of 30 million roubles ($360,000).

Songs can be performed in any language. A professional set of jury members from each participating county will decide the outcome rather than the viewing public.

"Intervision" refers to the Soviet-era music contest that Moscow used to organize with its Eastern European satellite states.

But, interestingly, the latest version of the Intervision 2025 will feature acts from those countries that Russia now considers friendly, including Belarus, Cuba, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, the UAE, and Venezuela.

Serbia is the only country that is taking part in both Eurovision and Intervision.

Russia had participated in Eurovision 23 times since 1994 and in 2008 won with the song titled “Believe” by Dima Bilan.

The return of Intervision comes three years after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, which has resulted in the expulsion from the Eurovision song contest, a setback to the Kremlin on the world stage.

Now, a revival of the indigenous cultural contest Intervision as a counterpart to Eurovision provides Russia an opportunity to make a comeback to the world stage with a bang.