Australian entertainment business The Great Moscow Circus has set the record straight over its affiliations with Russia after some social media commentators wrongly linked attending the circus with supporting the invasion of Ukraine.

“I see that [people on] social media are inquiring about us, saying, ‘Why are we performing because we’re Russian?’,” manager Mark Edgley said. “We’re not Russian, we’re Australian. An Australian-owned business with international performers under the name Moscow Circus.”

The announcement came as companies around the world limited operations in Russia, in some cases stopping business in the country altogether.

Mr Edgley says the circus is made up of international performers and has no link to Russia. Mr Edgley said the Great Moscow Circus had performed in Australia since 1965.

He said when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, his family purchased the brand. “We’ve got four Ukrainians in the show, and we don’t have any performers actually from inside the new Russia,” Mr Edgley said.

While the private enterprise company was “not a political company”, Mr Edgley said it did not support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He said the circus helped its Ukrainian performers by inviting their families to Australia and supporting them with immigration. … Link to Full Article in ABC News Australia.