Russian broadcaster Channel One will not broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest next month because the country's competitor has been barred from host country Ukraine.
Russia's decision removes any chance of it competing this year, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said.
Ukraine is refusing to allow Julia Samoilova to perform at Eurovision because she has visited Crimea, the peninsula seized by Russia in 2014.
The EBU has condemned the ban.
It says Ukraine is undermining the non-political nature of the contest.
The union, which produces Eurovision, said it had offered two possible solutions to Channel One. The proposals were for Ms Samoilova to perform via satellite from Russia or for another contestant to be allowed to travel to Ukraine to take her place.
Both were rejected and the broadcaster has now announced it will not televise the event.
"Unfortunately this means Russia will no longer be able to take part in this year's competition," the EBU said. "We very much wanted all 43 countries to be able to participate and did all we could to achieve this."
More:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39596927
