Who are Russia’s Pussy Riot, and what’s their new anti-war song?
If you're not familiar with Pussy Riot, you should be.
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The backstory: If you're not familiar with Pussy Riot, you should be. This Russian punk band has a long history of using bold protests to speak out against Putin's government. In 2012, three members of the group staged a protest performance inside Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and were later sentenced to two years in prison. And in 2018, during the World Cup final in Moscow, four members stormed the pitch to protest human rights abuses in Russia, which got them 15 days in jail
More recently: Members and associates of the group were detained at the 2022 FIFA World Cup during a match between France and Argentina after they tried to enter the pitch to protest issues like the Russia and Ukraine conflict and women's rights in Iran.
The development: The group has now released a new anti-war song called "Mama, Don't Watch TV" that criticizes Putin's decision to invade Ukraine and the government's censorship of its opponents. In a statement, Pussy Riot describes Putin's government as a "terrorist regime" run by "war criminals." They also call for the West to stop financing Russia's war by buying its oil and selling it weapons, and they propose creating an international court to "try" Putin and his allies for the war.
The music video is also pretty graphic, including a scene of a member urinating on a photograph of Putin.
Key comments:
"We have a new Hitler in Russia," said Maria Alyokhina, a member of Pussy Riot, in an interview with The Guardian.
"This song is our statement against the war that Putin started in Ukraine," wrote Pussy Riot in a statement. "We believe that Putin's regime is a terrorist regime, and Putin himself, his officials, generals and propagandists are war criminals."
"Opposition figures of anti-government movements became victims of the 'experiments'. Putin and the FSB are proud of this "tradition" and continue it: Alexander Litvinenko, Sergei Skripal, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Pyotr Verzilov, Alexei Navalny," said Pussy Riot.
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