October 10, 2023

The Cost of Being Foreign Agent


The Cost of Being Foreign Agent
Charity concert by Oxxxymiron from the "Russians Against War (RAW)" series. This is the final of the three concerts at Huxley's, Berlin. Wikimedia Commons, A. Savin

Russian rapper Oxxxymiron, also known as Miron Fedorov, has been served with an R40,000 ($396) fine by the Kuibyshev District Court of St. Petersburg, according to reports from the city courts' joint press service. 

The penalty was imposed in accordance with the "foreign agents" law, which seeks to crack down on artists, activists, and other individuals who have been determined to be representing the interests of entities hostile to the Russian state.

Fedorov was found culpable under the specific provision outlined in Part 2 of Article 19.34 of the Administrative Code, pertaining to the failure to provide the Ministry of Justice with a report on the activities of a foreign agent. The court clarified that Fedorov was required to submit this report prior to January 15, 2023.

In October 2022, Fedorov was fined and labeled by the Russian government as a foreign agent after calling the Russian invasion of Ukraine a "catastrophe and crime." The Kremlin has deemed several of Fedorov's songs "extremist." For example, for his song “Oida," the rapper was fined R100,000 ($990) for the lines "Ingria will be free" and "To hell with the old house." Since leaving Russia, Fedorov has organized a series of charity concerts, raising funds in support of Ukrainian refugees. They were the rapper's first shows in five years

You Might Also Like

Where Is Polina Gagarina?
  • October 04, 2023

Where Is Polina Gagarina?

A pro-war concert promised great stars on the stage, but instead had only ultranationalist poets.
Street Musicians Killed by Missile
  • August 17, 2023

Street Musicians Killed by Missile

Two musicians were performing on the streets of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. An hour later, a Russian missile strike killed them.
Rockstar Declared Foreign Agent
  • July 05, 2023

Rockstar Declared Foreign Agent

The Ministry of Justice released a list of new "foreign agents." Among them is Boris Grebenshchikov, a respected founder of Russian Rock.  
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
93 Untranslatable Russian Words

93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.
Survival Russian

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.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

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.  
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

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.
The Latchkey Murders

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...
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

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.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

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.
How Russia Got That Way

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