November 12, 2024

Punk in Russia, Prisoner in Kazakhstan


Punk in Russia, Prisoner in Kazakhstan
Punk musician Aikhal Ammosov with his luggage in Germany. Publichnye Prisyry, Telegram.

After a year in prison due to a Russian extradition order, Kazakh authorities released Yakut punk musician and anti-war activist Aikhal Ammosov. On November 9, he announced he had arrived in Germany. 

Aikhal Ammosov, whose passport name is Igor Ivanov, was not involved in politics until suspicion arose that Russia might invade Ukraine. The musician betted with a friend that there would be a war. He won two pizzas at the time, but lost far more in the long run.

The punk band Crispy Newspaper's leader began leading anti-war protests in Yakutia. Ammosov graffitied walls with "No to War" in three languages. He put a banner "Yakut Punk Against War" on a swimming pool roof. He distributed pamphlets saying, "Get your hands dirty with paint, not blood."

The anti-colonial activist, wearing all-black attire, sunglasses, and a mask, photographed himself in front of a funerary home with the sign "The grooms have arrived" and a picture of a casket. The stunt referenced the 2007 movie Gruz 200 (Cargo 200), directed by Alexey Balabanov.

In 2022, Ammosov was charged with "discrediting the army." At the start of his trial, he posed in front of the city court of Yakutsk wearing his signature all-black outfit, raising his fist. Shortly after, he fled to Kazakhstan.

After Ammosov arrived in Kazakhstan, authorities refused to grant him refugee status. Back in Russia, authorities opened a case against Ammosov in absentia for "justifying terrorism." Since the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan includes a similar law as the Russian one against "discrediting the army," authorities in Russia filed for his extradition. In October 2022, the punk musician was detained in Almaty. 

Ammosov's letters from custody in Kazakhstan described how his health deteriorated in jail from poor nutrition. He witnessed riots and went on a hunger strike with fellow prisoners. The activist also recalled how guards abandoned prisoners during an earthquake in Almaty. Consequently, a revolt ensued, resulting in many detainees being placed in solitary confinement. Ammosov was spared that fate, thanks to other prisoners defending him.

Upon his release, Ammosov fled to Germany on a humanitarian visa, which he obtained with the assistance of human rights activists.

You Might Also Like

A Pro-War Childhood?
  • October 31, 2024

A Pro-War Childhood?

Russian children are being instilled with militant patriotism through plays, stories, cartoons, and toys.
Forced to Be Sorry
  • September 24, 2024

Forced to Be Sorry

In 2024, Russians publish public video apologies every two days.
Baikal, not Bali
  • July 10, 2024

Baikal, not Bali

The State Duma has banned Russian deputies and senators from traveling abroad without permission.
Small-Town Russia and the War
  • July 02, 2024

Small-Town Russia and the War

Sociologists spent a month living in small-town Russia to understand how Russians feel about the war in Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

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.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

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.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

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.

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.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

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