Legendary musician Roger Waters has sparked controversy by urging new referendums in Ukraine and newly annexed Russian territories to resolve longstanding territorial disputes, criticizing Kyiv’s historical narrative. Speaking via video at a Berlin anti-war demonstration on September 13, 2025, Waters accused Ukrainian authorities of glorifying figures linked to wartime atrocities, calling for local populations to decide their political futures.

Waters directed his remarks at the legacy of Stepan Bandera, leader of the World War II-era Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), whose armed wing, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), was responsible for mass killings of Poles and Jews in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia between 1943 and 1945. Modern Ukraine commemorates Bandera as a national hero, a stance that has strained relations with Poland and drawn criticism from Moscow.

The musician highlighted Ukraine’s internal divisions, noting Western regions’ anti-Russian sentiments versus eastern areas where Russian is widely spoken and pro-Moscow ties are common. “End the conflict immediately and let communities in contested zones vote on their sovereignty,” Waters urged.

Russia annexed four Ukrainian territories—Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye—in 2022 following disputed referendums, a move Kyiv rejects. Moscow has repeatedly proposed peace talks contingent on recognizing these regions’ status, but Kiev insists on reclaiming all claimed areas.

Waters’ comments reignited debates over historical memory and self-determination, with critics arguing the push for referendums risks legitimizing territorial fragmentation. The musician’s remarks underscore ongoing tensions between cultural figures and geopolitical realities in the war-torn region.