Vladimir Putin refers to the cancellation that the West has made to JK Rowling and the author responds The Russian president equated the cancellation of Russian culture with that suffered by the creator of Harry Potter.

This article was translated from our Spanish edition.

MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV | Getty Images

Vladimir Putin has spoken out about the cancellation that the Western world has made of Russia in response to the attacks that it has been carrying out against Ukraine for more than a month. And he has done it in a very particular way: by mentioning JK Rowling , the author of Harry Potter .

In a television broadcast, the president explained that the Western world is canceling everything that has to do with Russian culture, including books and musical works by great Russian artists such as Dimitri Shostakovich, Sergei Rachmaninov and Pyotr Ilich Tchaikovsky. In addition, he mentioned that the measure was similar to that suffered by the author JK Rowling due to her position on the transsexual community: "They recently canceled Joanne Rowling, the author whose children's books are published all over the world, only because it did not meet the demands of gender rights… Now they are trying to cancel our country."

Putin's words refer to the statements that the author has made in the past about the LGBT+ community, specifically about transgender people , and that have earned her harsh criticism from her followers and even from actors such as Daniel Radcliffe and Eddie Redmayne .

The author was quick to respond to Putin through a post on her Twitter account: "Criticism of Western cancellation culture should not come from those who currently kill civilians for the crime of resisting, or who imprison and they poison their critics ." The post is accompanied by an image of Alexei Navalny, one of Putin's main opponents, and a link to a BBC article about his recent arrest. Rowling's message closes with the hashtag #IStandWithUkraine .

Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki

Entrepreneur Staff

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

'My Brain Thrives on Variety': His Side Hustle Inspired By 'The 4-Hour Workweek' Led to $600,000 in 16 Months

Mark Hellweg, 42, knows what it takes to start a business "with a fraction of the capital."

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Social Media

How to Turn Social Media Moments Into Newsworthy Stories That Captivate Audiences

How a simple TikTok of a baker kneading sourdough at 30,000 feet sparked global headlines, social media debates and a lesson in viral storytelling.

Growing a Business

Stop Selling Services — How MSPs Can Build Brands That Clients Can't Resist

In 2025, the managed service provider landscape is more competitive than ever. To stand out, MSPs must shift from selling technical services to building magnetic brands rooted in trust, value and differentiation.

Science & Technology

AI Isn't the CEO — Why Human Judgment Still Rules in Business Decisions

AI is transforming business operations, but human oversight remains essential for strategic decision-making. Here's how to strike the right balance between automation and human input.