As Ukrainian working people resist Moscow’s brutal war, the repressive regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin is unleashing ever greater repression to try to keep a lid on mounting signs of dissent at home.
On Oct. 22 a court in the central Russian city of Yekaterinburg sentenced street performer Yevgeny Mikhaylov to 14 days in jail on charges of petty hooliganism and “discrediting” the army.
His real “crime” was drawing a crowd while singing two songs, “Cooperative Swan Lake” by Russian rapper Noize MC and “You are a soldier” by singer-songwriter Monetochka. Both artists are in exile after being declared “foreign agents” by Putin’s government.
Mikhaylov has performed on the streets for over three years. But he said he was motivated to be “braver and more open” after the arrest of the three-person band Stoptime, which while singing those same songs attracted hundreds of people in St. Petersburg the week before.
“Cooperative Swan Lake” mocks Putin, his war and his response to opposition. The famous Russian ballet “Swan Lake” was played often on TV to cover up news of the deaths of Stalinist leaders or reflections of crises as the former Soviet Union was coming apart. Lake Cooperative is the notorious gated community Putin and his cronies use in a secluded holiday spot in northwest Russia.
The anti-war song was banned in Russia in May. Millions now listen online to its call for Putin’s downfall.
“You are a soldier” by Monetochka includes the lines: “And whatever war you are fighting, sorry, I’ll be on the other side.”
In an Oct. 19 tribute to Stoptime, Monetochka accused Russian authorities of being “afraid of our burning hearts because they melt steel and lead.” She said, “Like birds, our songs fly to those who are kind, brave and honest.”
The Stoptime trio received similar sentences to Mikhaylov, ostensibly because its concert blocked the entrance to a subway station. Lead singer Diana Loginova, who performs under the name Naoko, is also charged with “discrediting” the Russian military. She could face up to 15 years in prison.
In trying to silence Stoptime, the Kremlin has sparked an outpouring of interest and support, emboldening others to speak out. Those following Stoptime’s online Telegram have risen from a few hundred to over 40,000 today.
Street musicians across Russia have begun performing these and other protest songs. Others have shared videos of Stoptime’s performance, surrounded by a crowd singing along, under the hashtag, “Free Naoko.” The expanding movement’s emblem, an image of ballet dancers, now appears on leaflets and protest art in a growing number of cities.