A Holocaust-themed ice skating routine performed by the wife of Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman created controversy recently. The performance was dubbed as "shameful".
Dmitry Peskov's wife Tatiana Navka performed with actor Andrei Burkovsky and both wore black and white pinstriped uniform with a gold star of David to signify that they were Jewish.
They performed to Israeli song "Beautiful That Way". Navka said that the performance was a tribute to Oscar-winning film La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful), which was set during the Holocaust.
During the performance the two pretend to shoot each other. It has been criticised for being inappropriate and insensitive.
Prominent Jewish people, including comedian Sarah Silverman and historian Deborah Lipstadt, have criticised the performance.
The song was the theme song for the movie Life is Beautiful. It was sung by Israeli singer Achinoam "Noa" Nini.
Navka, a gold medallist for Russia in ice dance at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, has defended the performance.
"Based on one of my favourite movies, Life is Beautiful," Navka wrote in an Instagram post.
"Show this movie to your children.
"Our children need to know and remember that terrible time, which I hope, God willing, they will never know."
HAVE YOU LOST ALL SENSE OF DECENCY? HAVE YOU NO SHAME? The Holocaust on ice, complete with a sound track of barking dogs. https://t.co/9lMAqZHkNZ
— Deborah E. Lipstadt (@deborahlipstadt) November 27, 2016
Oh those whacky Holocaust victims (OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD) https://t.co/mzn441sQZD
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) November 27, 2016
This might be offensive if they hadn't take such great care to recreate all the wonderful ice dancing going on at Aushwitz at the time. https://t.co/Nz0iDHqili
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) November 27, 2016
This is staggeringly offensive https://t.co/aw2UiqalDz
— Rupert Myers (@RupertMyers) November 27, 2016
