What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Popular blogger Anastasia Ivleeva hosted a party on December 21, during Russia’s tensions with Ukraine and a rising conservative trend.
NEW DELHI: Russian rapper Nikolai Vasilyev was jailed for 15 days for attending a risqué party at Moscow’s Mutabor nightclub where guests, including celebrities, stripped down.
Popular blogger Anastasia Ivleeva hosted a party on December 21, during Russia’s tensions with Ukraine and a rising conservative trend.
READ MORE: FIR filed against Ranbir Kapoor for offending Hindu sentiments
The aftermath has been quick, leading to sponsors cutting connections with top Russian artists, contracts being cancelled, and even President Vladimir Putin reportedly displeased.
A video circulating online captures Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, engaging in a discussion with one of the stars involved, shedding light on the gravity of the situation.
Sources suggest that troops on the Ukrainian frontlines were among the first to express discontent upon witnessing the footage, prompting Putin’s attention.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that the event “stained” its participants, urging introspection.
The situation has now escalated into a crisis, overshadowing other news such as economic worries like increasing egg prices and inflation.
READ MORE: Trade with Russia to increase in coming years: EAM Jaishankar
Anastasia wore jewellery worth $251,000 during tough economic times and issued two public apologies.
Due to severe public backlash, she lost her association with major mobile phone operator MTS. Tax authorities are now investigating her and she could face a five-year jail term.
A group of individuals has filed a lawsuit demanding her to pay 1 billion roubles ($10.9 million) for “moral suffering.”
If successful, the funds will go to a state fund supporting Ukraine war veterans, adding a layer of controversy to the scandal.
In the aftermath, additional celebrities, like journalist Ksenia Sobchak, have issued apologies for their involvement. Rapper Nikolai who attended with only a sock, is now confronting a 15-day jail term and a $2,182 fine for promoting “non-traditional sexual relations.”
The scandal has upset supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine, with one person proposing that the celebrities financially contribute to providing prosthetic legs for war veterans. This shift aims to redirect attention toward making amends for their controversial actions.
As Russia approaches a presidential election, the scandal highlights the tension between the government’s push for social conservatism and the entertainment industry’s proclivity for controversy. This clash, marked by Putin’s call for larger families and the Supreme Court’s labelling of LGBT activists as “extremists,” has captured the nation’s attention.
