Leadership of the concert company that previously provided selection for Eurovision released

Ilya Pyatrovsky. Director of Blackout Studio. Photo: Instagram

Arrests of concert industry representatives began in the summer of 2025 after law enforcement officers found a Telegram chat "Org BY" on the phone of one of the first arrested individuals. The chat was created during the COVID times to exchange experience on organizing events in the new realities of coexisting with the virus. This chat was subsequently recognized as an extremist formation.

Not only the leadership of Blackout Studio found themselves behind bars, but also the heads of Kvitki.by, and the now ex-director of the Palace of the Republic, Maxim Prykhodovsky, and Aliaksandr Manyshau — a concert organizer who was involved with the agencies "Atom Entertainment" and "Unbreakable," which serviced pro-Lukashenka events.

In addition to involvement in the "extremist" chat, Prykhodovsky was accused of corruption, and Blackout Studio was punished for monopolizing the market.

"Someone in power didn't like that the company had too much of a monopoly on the market, servicing most events. They suggested sharing. It's possible the business will be squeezed out. They might say, 'Why should state venues pay so much to outsiders for expensive equipment?'" one source told "Nasha Niva."

Blackout Studio was founded in 2009. It was managed by Ilya Pyatrovsky, a graduate of BSU. They had all the necessary equipment in their arsenal to hold events even at the largest venues — from lighting and sound equipment to kinetics and lifting mechanisms. The company technically provided for performances by stars such as Sviatlana Loboda, Bi-2, Lindemann, and others.

Павялічыць

Blackout Studio team. Photo: company's Instagram

The Blackout Studio website and social media have not been updated since December 2024. It is unknown what will happen to the studio after the leadership's release. According to "Nasha Niva," the management of Kvitki.by almost immediately began cooperation with the investigation, which is why they were released relatively quickly. Prykhodovsky was pulled out by his friend Natalia Eismant. Pyatrovsky and Kalesnikau did not have such influential acquaintances, and they were not very eager to cooperate with the investigation, so there is a high probability that they will not be able to fully continue their business.

"Perhaps their business will now pass into the hands of Pyatrovsky's partner, concert director Chulpan Hanieva," interviewees suggest.

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