President Zelenskyy's Adviser hits out at Oscars over Ukraine omission

Ukraine's presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak hit out at  Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Academy Awards) organizers for not allowing Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address the ceremony in which a film featuring Russia's most prominent critic, Alexey Navalny was honoured. 

Advisor of President Zelenskyy, Podolyak criticised the decision for the second year in a row, questioning how the Academy Awards can claim to be apolitical while honouring a film that delves into internal Russian politics.

Pointing out the omission of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the mass genocide of Ukrainians from the conversation about humanism and justice, Podolyak reportedly asserted, "If a movie about World War I, such as All Quiet on the Western Front, could receive an Oscar without controversy, then it is hypocritical to deny Zelensky the opportunity to address the ceremony."

Ukraine's presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak said, "If Oscar is outside of politics how should we understand the documentary manifesto Navalny where internal Russian politics is overflowing? If Oscar is out of the context of the war in Ukraine and the mass genocide of Ukrainians, why do you constantly talk about humanism and justice?"

If #Oscar is outside of politics how should we understand the documentary manifesto Navalny where internal Russian politics is overflowing?
If Oscar is out of the context of the war in Ukraine & the mass genocide of Ukrainians, why do you constantly talk about humanism & justice?

— Михайло Подоляк (@Podolyak_M)

Alexey Navalny -- the film, directed by Canadian director Daniel Roe, won the prize for best documentary feature at the Oscars. The film explores the plot to kill Russian anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny.

Navalny's family members accepted the Academy award on his behalf. Notably, an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine, Navalny is serving a nine-year term at a maximum-security prison east of Moscow in what his supporters say are jumped-up charges.