Hundreds of youthful Russians gathered in a historic city square and passionately sang a banned song demanding the removal of Vladimir Putin. The scene, captured on video, showed a large crowd joining street performers in Kazanskaya Square, St Petersburg, to sing ‘Cooperative Swan Lake’, a song outlawed in May 2025 for being deemed “extremist” by a court. This song, created by the Ukrainian artist Ivan Alexeyev, also known as rapper Noize MC, has emerged as a protest anthem against Putin’s government and the Ukraine invasion among Russia’s younger generation.
The song references a Soviet tradition where Swan Lake was traditionally aired during times of political turmoil to signify regime changes and political unrest across all Russian TV channels. The crowd fervently chanted lyrics such as, “Where have you been for eight years, you monsters? I want to watch ballet, let the swans dance. Let your grandpa tremble with excitement for Swan Lake.”
Additionally, the song contains poignant lyrics like, “When the czar dies, we’ll dance again. The old man still clings to his throne, afraid to let go. Old man in the bunker, still thinks it’s nineteen eighty-five.” Noize MC sought refuge in Lithuania shortly after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces.
During the gathering, an 18-year-old, Diana Loginova, led the chants and was subsequently detained by the authorities. She is expected to face administrative charges for organizing a large assembly in a public area. Diana’s mother, Irina, clarified to local media that her daughter’s participation was not politically motivated but stemmed from the song’s popularity and her admiration for Noize MC.
Irina emphasized, “Diana lives with me under constant supervision. I often accompany her to her performances and ensure her safe return home. We share a strong bond, and I can attest that she holds no political ideologies. She is a patriotic Russian who loves her country dearly and has no intentions of leaving or supporting Ukraine.”
“The songs Diana chooses are simply those of her favorite artists. She performs based on audience requests. There is no hidden agenda or ill intent. My daughter does not advocate for any cause or endorse any particular stance.”
The video surfaced amidst a series of successful strikes by Ukraine against Russia. Recent drone attacks orchestrated by Ukraine caused a major oil storage and transshipment facility in Russian-occupied Crimea to erupt in flames. Furthermore, Ukraine has intensified its drone operations targeting critical Russian infrastructure, leading to a surge in gasoline prices and fuel shortages across Russia.