October 21, 2025

Singing Can Get You Jailtime


Singing Can Get You Jailtime
Naoko performing in St. Petersburg. Stoptaim, Telegram.

On October 15, members of the street band Stoptime were arrested, and its vocalist was charged with two counts of "discrediting" the army. The trio has gained notoriety for performing songs by artists declared "foreign agents."

Since the spring, Stoptime has been performing on the streets of St. Petersburg. Singer Diana "Naoko" Loginova, guitarist Alexander Orlov, and drummer Vladislav Leontev announce spontaneous performances on their Telegram channel, which currently has over 43,000 subscribers. Videos of the trio performing anti-war songs on Nevsky Prospekt quickly went viral. In August, the musicians were arrested for "violating the peace." All Stoptime members were released after writing explanatory statements.

On September 26 and October 11, Stoptime performed Monetochka's "Ty-soldat" (you are a soldier) and Noize MC's "Svetaya Polosa" (emptiness of light) outside Vosstaniya Square metro station in the heart of St. Petersburg. Monetochka and Noize MC have both been declared foreign agents in Russia and are in exile in Lithuania.

Videos of the band's performances have been shared on pro-war Telegram channels. A 28-year-old named Mikhail Nikolaev filed a complaint about crowds gathering around Vosstaniya Square, saying they were obstructing pedestrians. However, the report incorrectly stated the exact location and time of the performance. Furthermore, the handwriting on Nikolaev's original complaint and an explanatory note did not match.

On October 15, 18-year-old Naoko was arrested for "organizing a rally that resulted in public disorder" and spent the night in prison. Then a court sentenced her to 13 days in administrative detention. Orlov and Leontev were sentenced to 12 and 13 days in jail, respectively.

The singer was charged with two additional charges of "discreditation of the army." Receiving repeated reports of "discreditation" can lead to up to R300,000 R ($3,700) in fines or five years in prison. Charges will be submitted to the court after her sentence expires. The drummer and the guitarist have not faced additional cases.

On October 16, the following message appeared on Stoptime's Telegram channel: "Guys, in the near future, all performances (street performances) will not be held."

You Might Also Like

From Toys to Training
  • October 16, 2025

From Toys to Training

Russia expands cadet kindergartens, where preschoolers train like soldiers.
Immortalizing a Modern Hero?
  • October 12, 2025

Immortalizing a Modern Hero?

The governor of the Kursk Region has announced plans for a new monument to honor a "hero" of Russia's war in Ukraine.
No Politics for a Politician
  • September 28, 2025

No Politics for a Politician

Putin notes that Stalin was a key figure of Russia's victory in World War II, but says his image should be "depoliticized."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

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.

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.

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.

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.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

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