On Tuesday, the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale was full of activity. Several pallets, piled high with cases of prosecco and a few boxes of good old English Gordon’s gin, had been delivered outside. Inside, Ensemble Toloka, a group of “young folk performers and professional researchers of Russian authentic music”, were singing, balalaikas at their feet, the first in a programme of performances staged for the preview days of the art festival.

When I sent a few seconds of footage of this to a friend, a close and critical observer of Russia who lived there until recently, the reply came quickly, a succinct review: “Ethnic shit to cover up their war crimes.” Later, I saw DJs at the decks and a handful of people dancing. At pretty much the same time, the city centre of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine was being bombed in broad daylight – six dead.

You have to hand it to Russia. It had much to celebrate with that prosecco. After a hiatus since 2022 it is back at the world’s most prominent art festival, where a huge central exhibition organised by an invited curator is accompanied by dozens of shows staged by countries in national pavilions. And everyone’s talking about it. Even the protests – such as Pussy Riot’s colourful intervention on Wednesday – forces the conversation on to it.

The president of the biennale, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco – a controversial rightwing intellectual appointed by Giorgia Meloni’s government – has supported Russia’s return, as well as the continued presence of Israel, despite multiple appeals and open letters, some of which have also demanded the exclusion of the US. The only thing he will........

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