Story perspectives

St. Petersburg Protest: Arrests Amid Anti-Putin Song Performance

10/16/2025

Summary

Story summary

In St. Petersburg, a crowd sang "Cooperative Swan Lake" by Noize MC, the Russian musician, a song critical of President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, signaling public dissent under repression.
The lyrics question the government's actions and express frustration over the war's impact on citizens.
Police arrested Diana Loginova, the singer leading the performance.
Noize MC, labeled a "foreign agent," fled to Lithuania after the 2022 invasion.

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Story summary

In St. Petersburg, a crowd sang "Cooperative Swan Lake" by Noize MC, the Russian musician, a song critical of President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, signaling public dissent under repression.
The lyrics question the government's actions and express frustration over the war's impact on citizens.
Police arrested Diana Loginova, the singer leading the performance.
Noize MC, labeled a "foreign agent," fled to Lithuania after the 2022 invasion.