Some Ukrainian artists still perform in Russia, holiday in annexed Crimea (PHOTOS)

Ukrainian rock and pop singer Anastasiya Prykhodko gave her last concert in Crimea on March 8, 2014, just a week before Russia illegally annexed Crimean's peninsula.

Prykhodko, 28, has never returned and cancelled all scheduled concerts in Russia.

Instead the artist started giving morale-boosting performances on the war front to Ukrainian soldiers serving in the Donbas.

“I think that singing to occupiers is the biggest betrayal,” she said on her Instagram page last August.

Prykhodko is one of many Ukrainian celebrities who have taken patriotic stances in the face of Russia’s military aggression towards Ukraine.

Despite the hostilities and the Kremlin’s belligerent behavior towards its neighbor, some Ukrainian pop stars still perform in Russia where they typically make more money than at home.

Tickets in Russia to see Ukrainian pop-rock band Valentyn Strykalo perform sell for 800-1200 rubles (around $13–$20). The band is scheduled to play there on July 25-26. Last August Valentyn Strykalo gave a concert in Russian-occupied Sevastopol, Crimea.

But this year the group doesn’t plan to give another Crimean performance. The band’s concert director, Oleksiy Drahanin, in an interview with the Kyiv Post, would not disclose the reasons why.

Choreographer Tetyana Denysova poses near the pool of the Palmira Palace Hotel in Yalta, Crimea, in June 2014. (Courtesy)

Like Valentyn Strykalo, Ukrainian drag queen Monroe decided not to visit Crimea for now. She previously had plans to vacation there, but decided to spend the summer either in India or Australia.

“I am not going to rest in Crimea this year as the trip is long and difficult. People are overwrought. They are not able to figure out for themselves whom the peninsula belongs to. And they don’t understand that the peninsula belongs to Earth, ”she told the Kyiv Post.

Last summer Monroe was seen spending time at Crimean night clubs.

Russian military aggression has not prevented many Ukrainian celebrities from spending their holidays or giving concerts in Crimea.

Choreographer Tetyana Denysova, actress Olha Sumska and Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Andriy Pyatov are among those who spent their vacations in Crimea last year. It still remains unclear whether they plan to visit it again. None of them responded to the Kyiv Post written requests for comment.

Ukrainian producer Olena Mozhova does not approve of the behavior.

“I don’t respect cunning (artists) who want to sit on two chairs simultaneously. They behave as if they do not know how many (Ukrainian people) are wounded, killed or held captive. For them the war does not exist,” Mozhova said.

According to Kyiv Post estimations, nearly 2,180 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the war that has claimed more than 6,000 lives, including civilians.

It is not clear whether the performance tours in Russia or vacations in Crimea by some Ukrainian pop stars will negatively affect their careers in Ukraine.

The acts have drawn criticism though.

Ukrainian swimmer and Olympic champion Yana Klochkova and Shakhtar Donetsk footballer Taras Stepanenko have taken Crimean vacations this summer.

Ukrainian swimmer and Olympic champion Yana Klochkova enjoys a vacation in Hurzuf, Crimea in May, 2015.

Stepanenko responded to media criticism, saying that he considers Crimea to be a part of Ukraine.

“I understand the situation. But for me it is very important not to fly somewhere but simply to have a rest with my family in my country,” Stepanenko told the Ukrainian news website Obozrevatel on May 11.

Producer and famous Ukrainian TV host Ihor Kondratyuk believes such positions are hypocritical. “I would disdain resting in Crimea in their place. An artist should be a patriot,” he said.

Prykhodko is not going to perform in Russia and Crimea. “I cancelled tours to Russia and Crimea. I don’t care if I earn less because of that. I think that I support Ukraine because of my position,” Prykhodko said in an interview to Ukrainian website Censor.net.ua.