Singer Eduard Charlotte was detained at St. Petersburg Pulkovo airport after returning from Armenia; In the summer, the performer posted a video of himself burning his Russian passport. This was reported by REN-TV, Mash on the Moika, Baza and Izvestia.
Videos published by Telegram channels show that the singer is being led by several security officials and people in civilian. The reason for the arrest has not yet been officially announced.
As the authors of Baza suggested, they plan to draw up a report against Charlotte because of the video with the burning of her passport. Article 19.16 of the Code of Administrative Offenses on intentional damage to an identity document requires a warning or a fine of 100 to 300 rubles.
At the end of the video, the singer addressed the Ukrainian authorities: “My name is Eduard Charlotte. I am a famous composer of the Russian Federation, songwriter. For the last three years I have been actively opposing the state policy regarding the war against Kyiv and the structure of the country’s music market. I wish to get to the capital of Ukraine, support people with performances, concerts, and various types of help. I consider it necessary to be with those who are being crushed and oppressed in difficult times. I am no longer a citizen of criminal Russia. I am geographically in another country. I have maximum clarity. I choose those who are for the peace of the fraternal people. Please make arrangements, for example through an official invitation. Please, I really need feedback, write to my email — it is listed on my Instagram profile. Glory to Kievan Rus.”
After this, Charlotte posted a post in which he claims that an FSB officer contacted him, introducing himself as one of the founders of the United 24 platform, intended for fundraising for charity. The singer’s interlocutor promised to connect him with top officials of Ukraine and help him move to Kyiv. On one of the last video calls, according to Charlotte, he spoke with President Vladimir Zelensky — “I read him the Ukrainian anthem, discussed transport.” “Since then, communication has practically been severed. This is how Russian special services work,” the artist wrote.
Already on November 12, Charlotte posted a video with the words: “I’m going to my home, to my native country.” On the same day, he published a screenshot with data from a flight from Yerevan to St. Petersburg, which was scheduled for the night of November 21-22. The singer explained that he wrote a new album in Russian and wants to present it.
“The purpose of my visit: the battle for Russian-language culture, the defense of the great status of “Creator”, as well as the publication of a new album called “Reincarnation” [in a context not related to political routine],” he clarified.