
Share
16th October 2025
11:41am BST
Crowds of people gathered in St Petersburg in a rare protest against Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
In Kazanskaya Square, people began to sing songs by pro-Ukrainian rapper Noize MC.
Noize MC fled Russia to Lithuania after the breakout of the war against Ukraine in 2022, and was branded a "foreign agent" by the Russian government.
"Where have you been for eight years, you f***ing monsters? I want to watch ballet, let the swans dance," the crowds chanted,
The song in question, called 'Swan Lake Cooperative', was banned in Russia by a court back in May.
St. Petersburg Prosecutor's Office claims the track "poses a threat to children’s health" and "encourages negative attitudes toward government officials, particularly the president of Russia and his supporters."
However, 18-year-old singer Diana Loginova from the band Stoptime was filmed singing the track, and has since been detained, according to local media.
The band have previously performed song by "foreign agents", which is considered risky as Russia is increasingly cracking down on dissent among the war in Ukraine.
Loginova is likely to be charged with "discrediting" the Russian Armed Forces and organising an unauthorised event in a public space, with Kyiv Independent reporting this means she could be detained for up to 15 days.
Her mother, Irina, told Russian media that her daughter had ‘no political stance’ and only sang the track because it was ‘popular’.
"Moreover, she’s a patriot of our country, she loves Russia very much and has no plans to leave! She has no intention of supporting Ukraine," she added.
There has been a growing sentiment against the war in Ukraine in Russia as the draft increases and more men die.