Putin’s attack dogs target ‘almost naked’ pop stars in Russia’s new culture war – POLITICO
A risqué Moscow nightclub party in late December 2021, featuring many of Russia’s top celebrities, has led to a backlash in the country. The event, arranged by popular influencer Anastasia Ivleyeva, has been perceived as inappropriate by patriotic officials and military bloggers, coming at a sensitive time when Russia is facing the second anniversary of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a presidential election, and an ongoing crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community. Partygoer Nikolai Vasilyev was jailed for petty hooliganism and fined for “LGBT propaganda,” while Ivleyeva herself has been dropped by advertisers and charged outstanding taxes and fines, facing a potential lawsuit for moral damages to Russia’s military. The scandal marks a dramatic shift in the Kremlin’s attitude towards Russia’s celebrity and cultural elite.
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