A court in St. Petersburg on December 12 ordered popular Russian rapper Oxxxymiron to pay a fine of 45,000 rubles ($705) for "discrediting Russia's armed forces" in comments over Moscow's ongoing unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Oxxxymiron, 37, whose real name is Miron Fyodorov, called the Kremlin's offensive in Ukraine a "catastrophe and a crime” right after it started in February. He canceled a Russian tour in protest at the invasion before subsequently leaving Russia, and giving a series of concerts titled "Russians Against The War" in Turkey, Britain, and Germany. To read the original story form RFE/RL's North.Realities, click here.
Popular Russian Rapper Fined For 'Discrediting' Country's Armed Forces
Russian rapper Oxxxymiron (file photo)