Netflix under fire for using music of Ukrainian-born composer misidentified as Russian

United24, global initiative to support Ukraine, stated this in a post on Instagram.

In the new season of Wednesday, recently released on Netflix, music by Serhii Prokofiev is featured. In the first episode, the main character, Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega, performs "Dance of the Knights" from the ballet Romeo and Juliet on the cello.

This sparked outrage among some social media users, who accused the streaming platform of promoting Russian culture. The global initiative supporting Ukraine, United24, also responded, emphasizing that the composer is not part of Russian culture.

“Prokofiev was born in the Ukrainian village of Sontsivka, which is currently occupied by Russia. Prokofiev found success in the Soviet Union, but in 1948, he was branded an 'enemy of the people' and accused of harming the state with his music. His first wife, Lina, was later arrested on fabricated espionage charges and sentenced to 20 years in a labor camp,” United24 noted.

They also reminded that in December 2024, Russia occupied the Ukrainian village of Sontsivka. The local population has been cut off by Russian authorities and cannot share information about what is happening there.

Prokofiev lived in Sontsivka until he was 13. Donetsk Airport is named in his honor, as the battles for it lasted from September 2014 to January 23, 2015, and were among the fiercest in the war in eastern Ukraine.