Kanye West announces tour dates in Russia

Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is to play two shows in St Petersburg, Russia, this October – becoming the biggest Western star to play in the country since its invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

Tickets for the shows at the 70,000-capacity Gazprom Arena sold out within hours of the announcement on Monday. Prices ranged from 9,000 roubles (£78) to 160,000 roubles (£1,394).

The concerts come as West tries to rehabilitate his image after years of antisemitic and pro-Nazi remarks. He apologised in January, blaming his statements on a brain injury and bipolar disorder.

But a major European tour this summer faltered, with several concerts scrapped amid uproar over the star’s views.

In the UK, the long-running Wireless Festival was cancelled when West – who had been due to headline all three nights – was denied entry to the country.

The Home Office said the decision was made on the grounds that the rapper’s presence would not be “conducive to the public good”.

Concerts in France, Poland, Italy and the Czech Republic were also called off, but dates in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Turkey and Albania went ahead.