MOSCOW () -- Russian poet Yevgeny Yevtushenko has refused to accept a state award because of events in Chechnya, Russian Television reported Wednesday night.


The award, called the Order of the Friendship of the Peoples, did not make sense given recent events in the breakaway republic, the poet said.


"It was simply morally impossible to receive any award, but especially an award with the name 'Friendship of the Peoples,'" he said. Yevtushenko called the war in Chechnya a "cruel and senseless bloodletting where both the Chechens and our Russian soldiers are dying."


The poet read out part of a poem he had written to express his anger over the conflict: "Where have we flown to, two-headed eagle?/With such infamous glory, into the Chechen blizzards."