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Strange appearance of Putin spokesman Dmitiri Peskov (55) recently in Moscow: at a funeral he kissed the hand of a “foreign agent”, a traitor to the country. 73-year-old Soviet pop idol Alla Pugacheva has lived in Israel since she sharply criticized the war in Ukraine. That didn’t stop her from returning home for a friend’s funeral. It was precisely there that Putin’s confidant Peskov honored her. Its appearance shows the contradictions in which the ultra-nationalist Kremlin propaganda becomes entangled.
Pugacheva is one of many Russians who have turned their backs on their homeland since the outbreak of war in the neighboring country to the south. Not only have hundreds of thousands of young Russians fled abroad since the invasion of Moscow. To avoid being drafted into war or to stop living as an aggressor in a country at war, numerous Russian stars have also left their homes.
Unlike ordinary escapees, who are labeled “cowards” and “traitors” by Moscow, prominent anti-patriots and war critics are labeled “foreign agents”. Like Pugacheva. Who now apparently also defends himself against the contempt.
Stars complain
Several Russian stars who criticized the war and left the country have appealed to a Moscow court. A court told the Russian Tass news agency that four requests had been received from prominent Russians to withdraw the designation. These celebrities left their homes last year and were classified as “foreign agents” by authorities after speaking out against the war.
Among the stars who have now appealed are Pugacheva and her well-known husband and war critic Maxim Galkin (46). Now, on May 6, Pugacheva surprisingly returned to Moscow for a short time to attend the funeral of the late Russian fashion icon Valentin Yudashkin († 59). She was not refused entry, nor did she have to go to the authorities. On the contrary, she was almost courted by Putin’s High Representative, Peskov.
Warmonger honors anti-war
At the grave, there was a grotesque moment, even by Russian standards: Dmitri Peskov himself, spokesman for wartime President Vladimir Putin (70), approached the diva and kissed the hand of the “foreign agent”. The two also exchanged a few words. What the war opponent and the war supporter were talking about remains a mystery.
The Russian gossip press quoted the Russian singer Laima Vaikule (69) who was also present. About Peskov: “Of course he did,” says Vakule, who, like Pugacheva, is a Soviet-era idol. “Why wouldn’t he approach such a star? It is an honor.”
Apparently the Russian regime is unable to effectively exclude people who speak out against the war. Among the “foreign agents” now suing are rock musician Zemfira Ramazanova, 46, who now lives in France, and show star Semyon Slepakov, 43, who once hosted a popular quiz show and the wrath of the regime with a satirical one. Lied stoked: In the song, Slepakov sings about a Russian mother who complains that her three-year-old child cannot yet go to war.
anachronistic law
The Foreign Agents Act, passed in late 2012, allows the flagging of Russian individuals and non-profit organizations engaged in political activity and allegedly accepting money from abroad.
The law imposes an annoying reporting obligation on those affected. In addition, all their publications must include a 24-word statement that they come from a “foreign agent”. This Russian term evokes memories of Cold War espionage.
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
