A party at a top nightclub in Moscow has turned into something ugly: public humiliation and the threat of arrest.
An “almost naked” party at Mutabor, a popular Moscow nightclub, just days before Christmas attracted top Russian celebrities, influencers and socialites, some of whom appeared in revealing clothing or underwear. A rapper appeared in only a pair of shoes and a sock in his private parts.
The celebrations were not well received by members of the country's so-called patriotic community, as photos and videos from the Dec. 20 event sparked outrage among ardent supporters of the invasion of Ukraine. The fierce backlash against the party, which has dominated Russia's headlines and social space for a week, shows how much power the pro-war community has gained since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
War advocates, propagandists and military bloggers have accused those who attended the nightclub party and its organizers of moral corruption while soldiers died at the front.
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“There is war in the country, but these creatures, scum, are organizing it all,” wrote state television presenter and top Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov on the messaging app Telegram. “How morally deaf do you have to be?”
The Kremlin has used the war in Ukraine to further its pursuit of conservative “family values” while eschewing Western ideals of freedom of speech and choice. Russian hawks have seized on the government's conservative course.
“Holding such events at a time when our boys are dying… and many children are losing their fathers is cynical,” Russian war advocate Yekaterina Mizulina said on Telegram as she called for a boycott of party attendees. “Our soldiers at the front are definitely not fighting for this.”
A video was posted on the pro-war Telegram channels that purportedly shows Russian soldiers at the front also criticizing the party. NBC News was unable to verify whether the men in the footage were actually Russian soldiers in Ukraine or when the video was filmed.
The party's fallout led to a series of apologies from celebrities in attendance, including journalist and socialite Ksenia Sobchak, who ran against President Vladimir Putin in the 2018 election.
There have already been calls from some hawks to punish participants.
“They all simply have to be canceled: titles, awards, concerts, broadcasts and advertising contracts,” Sergei Mironov, the leader of the pro-Putin Just Russia party, said on Telegram on Wednesday. “Serves them right!”
The event's organizer, one of Russia's top influencers, Anastasia Ivleeva, faced the brunt of criticism and could face criminal prosecution. She called for peace at the beginning of the war, but chose to remain in Russia and remained silent since those first statements.
Anastasia Ivleeva.via Portal
On Wednesday, Ivleeva, 32, posted a tearful 20-minute apology to her 18 million Instagram followers. She said she regretted the party and asked people for a “second chance.”
Mizulina, the MP, said Russian federal tax authorities had opened an investigation against Ivleeva, which she said had “every chance” of leading to a criminal case. State media reported on Wednesday that Ivleeva is also being sued for one billion rubles ($11 million) by 22 unnamed entities for “moral damage” caused by her party. All prize money will be donated to a war fund.
NBC News could not independently confirm whether a lawsuit has been filed.
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Mizulina thanked the Russian authorities for their “quick response” to Ivleeva’s party. “The homeland is in good hands,” she added.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, an ardent war supporter and loyal ally of Putin, called the party “satanic” and demanded that participants posting apologies prove their “sincerity” by attending a military training course in Chechnya.
Meanwhile, Vasio, the rapper who appeared at the party in a sock, was arrested by a Moscow court and sentenced to 15 days in prison, state news agency Tass reported on Wednesday. The court said he was convicted of attending a party that promoted “non-traditional sexual relations.” Russia banned the LGBTQ movement as extremist last month.
Guests attend an “almost naked” party in Moscow on December 21st. via Portal
Russian state news agency Ria published a video in which the rapper apologized for hurting people's feelings by looking at “such a difficult time” for the country.
Maria Butina, a pro-Kremlin Russian lawmaker who was released from U.S. custody in 2019 after serving a sentence for illegally infiltrating conservative political circles in the U.S., said she had launched reviews to see whether the Mutabor- Party complies with the “LGBTQ propaganda” law.
The Kremlin has officially stayed out of the controversy, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov declining to comment.
“Let us remain the only ones in the country not discussing this issue,” he said in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday.