Russia continues to pressure musicians who have spoken out against the country’s invasion of Ukraine as the Kremlin seeks to squash any signs of opposition to its unprovoked war.
Police in Moscow unsuccessfully sought to stop the start of an April 1 concert by classical pianist Polina Osentinskaya, eyewitnesses told OVD-Info.
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The police returned during the concert’s interval, claiming there was a bomb threat, forcing the evacuation of the hall, the eyewitnesses said. The concert resumed after police dogs found no evidence of a bomb.
It was the latest attempt by Russian authorities to interfere with Osetinskaya’s performances in her home country after she publicly spoke out against the war.
On February 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Osetinskaya wrote in a post on her Instagram account that it was a "dark day" in Russia’s history. She said she felt "horror, shame, and disgust" over the invasion.
She subsequently had two concerts canceled in September as the Kremlin turned on musicians and other groups of individuals who dared to voice opposition to the war.
Shortly after the invasion, Russia banned criticism of the war and “false news” about the country's armed forces, threatening violators with prison terms of up to 15 years.
Russian media in July reported the existence of an unofficial list of 37 banned Russian artists and groups who had either spoken out against the war or refused to publicly support it. Among those included in the list were Mashina Vremeni (Time Machine) and Akvarium (Aquarium).
A month after the list appeared, the rock group Spleen dedicated a song to Mashina Vremeni and Akvarium, drawing the ire of officials.
The same day as police were trying to break up Osetinskaya’s concert, Siberian media announced that Spleen had been removed from a summer music festival in Novosibirsk at the request of a little-known local group.
The Union of Fathers of the Novosibirsk Region demanded the exclusion of Spleen, claiming its lead singer had “shown whose side he is on and who he supports.”
Russian authorities often use such groups to harass opponents of the government in an attempt to hide their involvement.
Spleen did not immediately return a request for comment.