Controversial Barely-clad Celebrity Bash at Prominent Moscow Club Provokes Intense Backlash
Russian celebrities face backlash for attending an almost naked themed party in Moscow, sparking anger amid ongoing war and the government's conservative agenda Apologies have been issued in response to the fierce public reaction
Russian celebrities who attended an "almost naked" themed party in Moscow are facing criticism for their attire, especially given the country's ongoing war in Ukraine and the government's shift towards a more conservative agenda. The party, organized by blogger Anastasia Ivleeva at the Mutabor club, has drawn backlash from Orthodox Church officials, pro-war activists, and pro-Kremlin lawmakers.
Rapper Vacio (Nikolay Vasilyev), who attended the event wearing a sock to cover his genitals, has been sentenced to 15 days in jail and fined 200,000 rubles (roughly $2,200) by a Moscow court. The court ruled that the event was aimed at "propagating non-traditional sexual relationships," and Vasilyev was found guilty of offenses including "petty hooliganism."
Rapper Vacio, also known as Nikolay Vasilyev, was involved in an incident at Mutabor nightclub, involving disruption of public order, use of vulgar language, and sharing of content promoting non-traditional sexual relationships on online platforms like Telegram, according to the court ruling.
In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has bolstered its anti-LGBTQ laws, with the recent declaration of the "international LGBTQ movement" as an extremist organization by Russia's Supreme Court.
Apologies issued amid angry reaction
As Russian President Vladimir Putin seeks reelection in March 2024, the party faces backlash in Moscow due to his increasing focus on traditional values and portrayal of the decadence and immorality of the West.
Vasilyev was one of the attendees at the party where a public apology was issued. Initially, the organizer Ivleeva stated that the attendees' dress choices were their own and that the event was an opportunity to showcase photos taken during her time as the chief editor of the Russian edition of Playboy.
Ivleeva released a new video on Wednesday, lasting over 21 minutes, in which she tearfully apologized and asked for forgiveness and a second chance, or public condemnation.
According to state news agency RIA Novosti, a lawsuit seeking 1 billion rubles ($11 million) in compensation for moral damages was filed against Ivleeva on Tuesday for organizing the party.
Another attendee, pop star Anna Asti, had her New Year's event at a different club in Moscow cancelled, as stated on the venue's website.
The message on the website expressed, "Dear friends, due to circumstances beyond our control, Anna Asti's performance has been rescheduled to a new date, which we will announce soon."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Wednesday, saying, "I humbly request that we be the only ones in the country not to discuss this topic."
Ekaterina Mizulina, a vocal pro-war advocate and head of the Safe Internet League, expressed gratitude to the Russian police on Wednesday for their response. She also shared Telegram screenshots of messages she claimed were from concerned and outraged citizens.
The Russian warship Novocherkassk of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is located in front of the port city Sevastopol, Russia on July 27, 2019.
Ulf Mauder/picture alliance/Getty Images
Ukraine claims it destroyed Russian tank landing ship
"How can I help my nephew make sense of losing both legs and becoming disabled while serving in a special operation? How do I explain what he fought for, and why he ended up disabled, for Ivleevas underwear?" read one message, using the official Russian euphemism for its invasion of Ukraine.
"Hosting such events while our young people are dying in military operations and many children are losing their fathers is cynical," Mizulina wrote in her own post. "Our fighters on the front lines are definitely not fighting for this."
Vitaly Borodin, the head of the Federal Project for Security and Anti-Corruption, publicly condemned the event as "sodomy, obscurantism, and LGBT propaganda." He called on the Minister of Internal Affairs to dispatch police to the Mutabor nightclub.
