Deputies of the State Duma have created a working group whose goal is to prevent cultural figures who have left the country from earning income in Russia. Member of the lower house of parliament Pyotr Tolstoy announced this on his telegram channel.
The group members plan to develop proposals with the help of which artists «acting with an anti-Russian position» will be banned from receiving income from creative activities in Russia. Restrictions will also apply to those cultural figures who are recognized as «foreign agents». The group will be headed by State Duma Vice Speaker Irina Yarovaya.
“The task is to find a fair solution in this extremely thin and delicate area <…> Because it's not good to make money in a country you hate. And even more so when it comes to the proven facts of supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the funds earned in Russia,” Tolstoy added.
At the end of January, the State Duma proposed depriving artists who left the country of earnings. Thus, MP Elena Yampolskaya during a meeting of the lower house of parliament said that for many cultural figures who do not support the Russian invasion of Ukraine, “Russia is not a homeland, but a food supply,” so such artists need to “methodically turn off power sources.”
A month earlier, Senator Sergei Tsekov also announced an initiative to confiscate the property of Russians who have left, especially popular artists and individuals who criticize the government. “To all these Urgants and Morgensterns, although I would not like to name names. To all those who criticize Russia from other countries. It is necessary to confiscate their property and send it to the needs of the members of the NWO. Regardless of whether they are stars or IT people,” Tsekov explained in a conversation with RIA Novosti.
After the start of the war in Ukraine, many Russian artists left the country. Those who remained faced pressure due to their anti-war stance. For example, performances by musicians who spoke out against the Russian invasion began to be canceled in many regions of the country.
Thus, among the excellent concerts were performances by Diana Arbenina, the Bi-2 and Mumiy Troll groups, as well as other performers. Concerts were also canceled for the Splin group — previously the leader of the musical group Alexander Vasiliev dedicated the song «No Exit» to artists who had to leave Russia after the start of the war.
In addition, the Ministry of Justice recognized many cultural figures as «foreign agents «- among them the actor Artur Smolyaninov, rapper Face (Ivan Dremin), TV presenter Maxim Galkin and other artists.