Red paint was thrown over the entrance of the Russian Orthodox Church in Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Red paint was thrown over the entrance of the Russian Orthodox Church in Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Olga Ovsyannikova is an immigrant from Russia and has been organising the Miss Russia NZ pageant since 2015. For the first time, organisers and contestants are experiencing anti-Russian sentiments.
This comes just days after red paint was thrown over the main door of the Russian Orthodox Church in Auckland, and a local Russian singer's show cancelled by a venue.
Members of the Russian community in Auckland are seeing increasing hostility here since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the military invasion of Ukraine on February 4.
Ovsyannikova, 39, said people have been sending "hate speech and racist comments" about Russians on her social media feed and the organisation's Facebook page.
Olga Ovsyannikova says she and contestants of Miss Russia NZ are facing abuse online. Photo / File
The former model, who moved from Khabarovsk in Russia to New Zealand 10 years ago, said the comments have made her and those involved in the pageant feel unsafe and unwelcome here.
"Miss Russia NZ is meant to share Russian culture with New Zealand, and bring people closer together," she said.
"Instead, people are using what is happening in Ukraine as an excuse to be racist and target us for harassment."
Ovsyannikova said that since the conflict escalated, online flak had also increased and this has left some of the contestants afraid for their safety.
Sign pasted at the Russian Orthodox Church. Photo / Supplied
"About half of the 20 finalists are not even Russians, but they are afraid because they are linked to the pageant," she said.
Reading reports of xenophobic attacks on Russians in other parts of the world, Ovsyannikova said she feared things would only be getting worse here if the war was prolonged.
Meanwhile, red paint has been thrown over the doors at the Russian Orthodox Church on Dominion Rd.
Written signs with words saying "Support Ukraine against Adolf Putin" were also pasted on the building.
Auckland-based Russian singer Marina Bloom had to cancel after being told her Russian Disco Night performance was inappropriate. Photo / Dean Purcell
When asked, police said it could not comment without a privacy waiver from the church.
Father Alexander Skorik, who shared the images of the incident on his Facebook page, would not comment.
"It is a very difficult time in our community. We will continue to pray for peace, an end to hostilities and the preservation of life," he said.
Skorik said on his page that the vandalism at the church happened "neither in Ukraine or in Russia", but in "quiet and peaceful New Zealand".
"This indicates that any conflict in our global world ceases to be local," he wrote.
"In these difficult times, we urge you to remain human first and foremost, and not multiply the evil that is plaguing the whole world."
Marina Bloom, an Auckland-based Russian singer was told that her upcoming "Russian disco night" performance was inappropriate.
"One restaurant was going to have me advertise my performance as a Russian disco night and then said it was probably not appropriate, so cancelled it," Bloom said.
A few others in the community, who also faced abuse, declined to speak to the Herald as they were worried it would make them an even bigger target of harassment.
A police spokeswoman said police weren't immediately aware of an increase in reporting of hostilities against Russians here.
"However in general police encourage anyone to report if they've been verbally or racially abused or intimidated," she said.
"Police also advise anyone with concerns for their safety to report this as soon as they can."
These can be done either by contacting 105 or by calling 111 if people are in a situation where their safety was currently at risk.
According to Stats NZ, there were 7713 Russians in 2018 here. But Ministry of Foreign Affairs figures said there was "a sizeable Russian community of around 15,000 people living in New Zealand".
