Aleksandr Ivanov (band "Rondo") is a Soviet and Russian rock singer, songwriter, and perennial leader of the group Rondo. Best known for hit songs like "Bozhe, kakoy pustyak" (God, What a Trivial Thing), "Moskovskaya osen" (Moscow Autumn), and "Ya budu pomnit" (I Will Remember). Born on March 3, 1961, in Moscow.
Listening to this artist's tracks on official streaming platforms, social media, and other services indirectly contributes to financing the war — through taxes paid to the budget of the Russian Federation.
In August 2015, Aleksandr Ivanov was listed in the database of the Mirotvorets website for deliberate violation of the state border of Ukraine and touring across Russian-occupied Crimea. The artist commented on this news as follows:
Any creative work should remain outside politics. I actively advocated for the reunification of Crimea with Russia, because I have always considered and still consider Crimea to be our territory. And as for the fact that in this ridiculous country the SBU compiles lists targeting us, well, God will be their judge. I don't consider it possible to perform on territory where people are being killed. It is obvious to me that this country [Ukraine] is unacceptable for me today, and I wouldn't go there for any amount of money. But with the rest of the world, everything is fine; I travel freely across the globe.
The position of the band "Rondo" on the war in Ukraine
Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Aleksandr Ivanov and the band "Rondo" took an unequivocal pro-war stance, fully backing the Russian Federation's armed aggression.
On March 18, 2022, "Rondo" performed at the musical and patriotic marathon "Za Rossiyu!", commemorating the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea and expressing support for the so-called "special military operation."
In interviews with Russian media, the singer regularly disseminates propaganda narratives, preaching about the necessity of "defending Russian people" and "fighting Nazism."
Later, on September 30, 2022, he participated in a Red Square concert celebrating the unlawful annexation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions.
The musician actively takes part in state-sponsored propaganda events:
- Regularly performs in military hospitals for wounded Russian soldiers.
- Participates in collecting humanitarian and logistical supplies for the Russian army.
- Has recorded a series of patriotic songs glorifying the war effort.
In the summer of 2023, Ivanov released a music video for the song "Pesnya pro lyubov" (Song About Love), dedicating it to "SVO" fighters, romanticizing the image of Russian invaders.
All artists right now should be engaged in the single most important duty: like our predecessors in the 1940s, traveling to the front lines and singing for the lads in the trenches and hospitals.
The singer also continues to stage concerts in occupied territories, blatantly violating international legal norms and Ukrainian sovereignty.
Sanctions
On June 1, 2022, Latvia banned Ivanov from entering the country due to his vocal endorsement and justification of the Russian invasion.
In October 2022, Canada imposed personal sanctions against Aleksandr Ivanov for his role in disseminating Russian disinformation and war propaganda.
On January 7, 2023, for the same reasons, he was included on the sanctions list of Ukraine.
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