November 08, 2023

No More Music


No More Music
Cover of the "Sisters" podcast about the war in Ukraine, removed from Russian streaming. t.me/privetinoagent.

Russian streaming service Yandex.Music expunged 4,333 songs, videos, podcast episodes, and album covers during the first nine months of 2023, at the behest of Roskomnadzor, the Russian government agency responsible for overseeing and regulating telecommunications within the country.

According to Russian news outlet RBK, the primary justifications for removing the content were the dissemination of "fake news" pertaining to the Russian war in Ukraine, content that discredited the Russian armed forces, materials that described or promoted non-traditional sexual relationships, information about methods of self-harm or suicide, the publication of materials categorized as extremist, or content that expressed explicit disrespect for the state, the constitution, official state symbols of Russia, its president, as well as any content promoting drug use, pornography, and even "justifications of pedophilia."

Among the purged content were Ukrainian songs, such as the folk song "Chervona Kalina," as well as songs like "Ya yidu v ZSU" ("I'm enrolling in the Armed Forces of Ukraine") by MC Chipollino. Russian artists who voiced opposition to the war in Ukraine also had their songs deleted, including "Eto proydet" ("This Will Pass") by the punk band Pornofilmy, which was dedicated to the Moscow protests of 2019.

A substantial amount of content, including podcasts, was removed. Yandex.Music recently blocked access to the podcast "Privet, ti inoagent" ("Hello, you are a foreign agent") produced by journalists Sonya Groysman and Olga Churakova. This action was taken after the release of the new season of  "Sestry" ("Sisters"), which explores the lives of Russian families with members fighting in Ukraine. Additionally, Yandex.Music eliminated "Kholod" publication's podcast about the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Meduza podcast "Deadline," which discusses Russian media in wartime conditions, as well as various other independent media podcasts. In October 2022, Yandex.Music also restricted access to the Meduza podcasts "Signal" and "Chto Sluchilos" ("What Happened").

It was previously reported that Yandex.Music would implement content censorship through the utilization of artificial intelligence and manual review processes. Furthermore, Russian authorities were planning to employ artificial intelligence for content censorship on the Russian-language internet, commonly known as RuNet.

You Might Also Like

Not My Cab of Tea
  • October 19, 2023

Not My Cab of Tea

The Netherlands is investigating whether Yandex's ride-sharing app is sharing data with Russia's FSB.
A Video Song-Apology
  • August 16, 2023

A Video Song-Apology

Three waterpark employees in Crimea were fined and forced to sing "Vladimir Putin is Great" after dancing to a Ukrainian song.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

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.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

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.

 

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