Kanye West set to take comeback tour to Russia - but he risks concert cancellation
Kanye West set to take comeback tour to Russia - but he risks concert cancellation
Ayeesha WalshWed, August 19, 2026 at 10:29 AM UTC
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Kanye West is heading to Russia for his comeback tour -Credit:WWD via Getty Images
Kanye West is set to take his controversial comeback tour to Russia this fall, with the rapper scheduled to perform two concerts in St Petersburg.
The 49-year-old rapper will take to the stage at the 70,000-capacity Gazprom Arena in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on October 10 and 11, according to an announcement from the venue. Tickets for both shows are already on sale, with prices ranging from 15,000 ₽ ($176) to 225,000 ₽ ($2,650).
The concerts have already sparked controversy in Russia, with one lawmaker calling for foreign artists to publicly support the country's war against Ukraine if they want to perform there. Nikolay Novichkov said artists looking to make money in Russia should also be prepared to offer "moral support" for the country's military campaign. It comes as Kanye was seen wielding swords while being operated on in a bizarre video directed by his wife, Bianca Censori
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Novichkov told Ostorozhno Novosti, “They want to make money. If they want to make money, they need to understand that the country is in a special military operation and needs moral support from cultural figures, provided they view themselves as such. Therefore, if that doesn’t happen, I will raise the issue of cancelling the concerts.”
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The lawmaker also said he would seek a review of Ye's previous comments about Adolf Hitler to determine whether they could potentially lead to prosecution. The Russian dates mark another major step in Ye's recent return to live performances after a lengthy period away from the stage.
Kanye has scheduled two dates in Russia -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
Earlier this year, the rapper returned to performing with two sold-out shows in Los Angeles. He then reportedly attracted a crowd of 118,000 in Turkey before playing two nights in the Netherlands and another concert in Georgia.
His international comeback has since taken him to Tampa and San Antonio in the US, as well as Albania, Spain, Portugal and, most recently, Kazakhstan. However, the tour has also been hit by a string of cancellations and postponements.
The rapper's tour has already faced controversy -Credit:AP Photo/Amy Harris
Ye's planned debut performance in India was scrapped over security concerns, while dates in the UK, France, Poland, Switzerland, Italy and Brazil were also canceled or postponed. Several of those shows faced objections from governments or venues amid continued backlash over Ye's behavior and comments in recent years.
The Chicago-born rapper sparked widespread outrage in 2022 after making a series of antisemitic comments. His subsequent controversies included selling a T-shirt featuring a swastika and releasing a song titled Heil Hitler.
In January, Ye attempted to address the backlash by taking out a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal to apologise for his behavior. He wrote, “I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.”
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
