June 29, 2021

Britney's Plight Takes Flight, And Putin's "Troops" Speak Out


Britney's Plight Takes Flight, And Putin's "Troops" Speak Out
The "Troops of Putin" speak out in support of Britney Spears's freedom Screenshot from “Отряды Путина Soc Sprav” on YouTube

On June 23, pop singer Britney Spears appeared in court to denounce the controlling behavior of her father, doctors, and managers, and to request that her father’s guardianship over her fortune will be terminated. She is not, however, the only one speaking up in her defense.

A group of middle-aged Putin supporters known as the “Troops of Putin” (Отряды Путина) published a video decrying her maltreatment. Why the "Troops of Putin" felt the need to chime in on this specific issue is beyond us.

“We are the troops of Putin. We heard today about Britney Spears  – it is such a horror! How this poor girl was mocked for 13 years! How did she bear it all? Finally, she has expressed her wish – to be a person, not a slave, and not be a nobody. Such a horror. No leaving the home… How is it possible? A healthy, normal woman. Everyone loved her, in all countries…”

The woman representing the group could not comprehend how Britney “did such a thing that she was deprived of everything.”

Britney was originally placed under the guardianship of her father in 2008 after she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. However, in her court appearance, Britney claimed that she was forced to work seven days a week for many years while under the influence of potent medications and was also prevented from marrying and having another child.

While they perhaps do not grasp the full extent of Britney's situation, the sympathy of the Troops is heartening in a time where so many are facing restrictions outside of their control. “You must give her freedom. You are magnificent, you will survive it, you are brave! Hold strong, girl!

 

You Might Also Like

Alsou Safina, singer

Alsou Safina, singer

She may be just eighteen, but she has been ruling Russia's pop charts for two years. Alsou Ralifovna Safina (known to her fans as simply Alsou, pronounced “all-soo”), daughter of Lukoil's first vice-president Ralif Safin, has taken the music industry by storm. 
Russia's Pop Queen
  • October 21, 2020

Russia's Pop Queen

How well do you know this classic Russian and Soviet musical icon?
Russia's Pop King
  • November 03, 2020

Russia's Pop King

Are you familiar with one of Russia’s most well-known musicians?
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Frogs Who Begged...
November 01, 2010

Frogs Who Begged...

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955