Members of the Stoptime band were detained by police after performing the popular song „Swan Lake Cooperative” by exiled Russian rapper Noize MC – who openly criticizes the Kremlin – triggering a significant resistance movement in Russia’s second-largest city.
Their music sparked the largest protest action against Vladimir Putin’s regime since the death of Alexei Navalny, killed in prison on February 16, 2024.
Additionally, the songs and performance of the Stoptime group went viral on social media, leading Moscow authorities to decide to ban Instagram. They did, however, leave Russian online platforms – Telegram and VKontakte – functional, fearing a revolt.
Stoptime, a group of young Russian street musicians, went viral on social media for playing banned, anti-Kremlin songs. Its members received heavy prison sentences, as authorities cracked down on those organizing shows in Russia to support them.
Diana Loginova, the 18-year-old vocalist of the Stoptime band who performs under the name Naoko, was detained after publicly performing, in front of a crowd of fans, songs banned by the government. The teenager remains in prison, with Russian authorities accusing her of numerous law violations.
Highlighted fragments from the interview with Eugen Tomac, presidential advisor and Member of the European Parliament:
Panic at the Kremlin
What we know for sure exists in Russia at the moment is the panic that has gripped the Kremlin. This panic stems from the fear of the amplification of these civic movements in solidarity with a group of teenagers who have done nothing but take on some verses of a young woman openly protesting against the aggression towards Ukraine and against the Putin regime.
Turning Point
The fact that teenagers feel the need to express themselves to protest against what is happening now, with all these radical measures through which the regime is trying to suppress any form of opposition, is a very good sign, because it shows that, nevertheless, in that society, things have reached a turning point. Teenagers are the ones who have broken this chain of fear and are protesting, singing anti-war and anti-regime songs, without being extremely vulgar or direct towards Putin, but it is evident that the lyrics imply addressing the regime.
Wave of Solidarity
The fact that in St. Petersburg, a week ago, one of the young women who sang these verses publicly on the city streets was sentenced has sparked bewilderment and at the same time an unprecedented wave of solidarity in the Russian Federation. This shows that the power of words in a moment of crisis is extremely effective when people realize that what is happening around them is not right at all.
A Struggle for Values
The difference between all previous protest movements – whether those in 2012, Navalny's movement, or the actions of Prigozhin's structures – and this emerging movement in Russia is fundamental.
Because here we are talking about a struggle for values. These people do not embrace a political program; they demand basic things: they want to live in a free country where they can express themselves and create without this right being restricted.
Instagram, Banned
The force of these messages, fighting for fundamental rights and freedoms, is much stronger than any political claim.
The protest message for fundamental rights and freedoms has spread across all of Russia, and not only young people but also various categories of citizens are beginning to speak out. The Kremlin's fear of this form of protest was so strong that they swiftly banned Instagram and WhatsApp in the Russian Federation.
Soviet Mentality
Obviously, the socio-economic effects are catastrophic. You cannot indefinitely keep a country, even if it is the Russian Federation, which had the opportunity to taste freedom and democracy – as much as was allowed before the consolidation of the Putin regime – in a state of isolation. The young generation reproaches the fact that they cannot build their future in a closed world controlled by a Soviet mentality.
Discontent at the Top
I am absolutely convinced that a good part of the Russian power system is dissatisfied with what is happening, but many of them do not yet see a force capable of overthrowing the regime. However, this public pressure, this solidarity expressed by citizens, maintains a state that can have effects. It can compel groups at the top of power to change their approach.
Russia is Vulnerable
Within Russian society, it is clear that people are tired and no longer believe in the regime's propaganda, as their daily lives are deeply affected and they fear dying needlessly in a war that leads nowhere.
The Ukrainian drone attacks have managed to awaken the Russians to a new reality: their country can be vulnerable, despite the propagandistic discourse about invincibility.
Protest Against Terror
Clearly, there is a lot of panic at the Kremlin. They try to argue that everything happening in Russia against the regime is nothing but attempts by Westerners to destabilize the country. It is the only discourse they hold and repeat, without trying to deeply understand the authentic message of people openly protesting against terror.
Imprisonment for Words
This struggle for values – for freedom of expression, for democracy – is an authentic movement, stemming from the desire to live in a world without fear, without the constant risk of ending up in prison for any spoken word. The scale of the protests is so large that it becomes very difficult for the regime to control.
Unpredictable Developments
If Putin is not compelled to come to the negotiation table, he will lose everything. It is the only solution he has left to save his power. If he does not find the resources to end this war by February, when four years of conflict have passed, unpredictable developments may occur in Russia, with major consequences for the entire country and beyond.