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A teenage musician from Russia has been hailed a Gen Z heroine after she was jailed for playing a banned anti-Kremlin song during protests in St Petersburg.
Diana Loginova, 18, also known by her stage name Naoko, with her band Stoptime, was arrested on Wednesday after playing her rendition of the’Swan Lake Cooperative’ – a song that is banned in Russia.
Her arrest has sparked many to believe her heroic actions could lead to a new revolution to topple Russian President Vladimir Putin.
But who is the young musician, and why is the song she played so controversial?
Who is Diana Loginova and why was she jailed?
The music student went viral on social media for playing her rendition of the controversial song ‘Swan Lake Cooperative’ created by exiled Russian rapper, Noize MC.
The song was played during protests on St Petersburg’s central avenue, and videos showed hordes of young people singing and chanting with Diana.
Hundreds of Russians gathered to defy censorship, performing a song criticising Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Protests are rare in Russia after authorities have brutally put down demonstrations on previous occasions.
Diana was taken to a St Petersburg court on Thursday and was found guilty of organising an unplanned gathering, blocking access to the underground.
She is being detained for 13 days, and could be charged with ‘discrediting’ the Russian military after serving her jail sentence.
If convicted, she could face a fine, but a re-offence could lead to criminal charges and a long prison term.
Her arrest came amid tightening restrictions on artists opposing the Russian state and its invasion of Ukraine.
What is the Swan Lake Cooperative song and why is it banned in Russia?
The Swan Lake Cooperative was created by exiled rapper Noize MC, whose real name is Ivan Alexeyev.
The 40-year-old has been openly critical of Putin, and left Russia for Lithuania shortly after Moscow invaded Ukraine.
The banned song has been used to criticise Putin and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
It refers to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, which was played on Russian TV following the deaths of Soviet leaders, and during a 1991 coup attempt against President Mikhail Gorbachev, becoming a symbol to end the leader’s rule.
YouTube links to the song and access to Noize MC’s website have been banned in Russia, although many young people continue to access this content through a virtual private network (VPNs) to circumvent the ban.
In May, a St Petersburg court banned the song over concerns the lyrics could create ‘hateful attitudes towards people’ and promote violence.
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