Russia prosecutes people for performing and listening to Ukrainian songs – Radio Liberty

At least 44 residents of the Russian Federation and occupied Crimea have been prosecuted for performing or listening to Ukrainian songs in Russia since the full-scale invasion began.

Source: Sever.Realiyi ("North.Reality"), a Ukrainian Radio Liberty project

Quote: "The pretexts for the prosecutions were either playing or performing [Ukrainian] songs such as Chervona Kalyna ["The Red Guelder Rose", a Ukrainian folk song], Stefaniia by Eurovision 2022 winner Kalush Orchestra, or Hulianochka by Verka Serduchka."

Details: Those detained were charged with "discrediting the army", displaying extremist symbols, or petty hooliganism.

The first mention of Ukrainian songs as a prosecutable offence was in a criminal case against "fake news" that was brought in Russia back in 2023. According to Radio Liberty, this was the case of Yevgeny Bestuzhev, a former political scientist from St Petersburg who was given a suspended sentence of five years and three months for anti-war posts and videos featuring Ukrainian songs.

A criminal case was also brought against Alexander Nesterenko, a lecturer at Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

Quote: "He was charged with inciting hatred and threatening violence because of two videos and three audio recordings that he posted on the Russian social network VKontakte.

These included the songs My Rostem ["We are growing up"] by Vopli Vidopliassova and Zapalymo Zranku – Ukraina Peremozhe ["Let's light up in the morning – Ukraine will win"] performed by Gordon Black."

Previously: Leonid Pshenychnov, a 70-year-old Ukrainian marine biologist and Antarctic researcher, was detained by the Russians in occupied Crimea for opposing the Russian Federation's position on the Southern Ocean, particularly its industrial fishing policy.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!