Basta on the war

Statements regarding Crimea and Ukraine

Basta performed in Ukraine with high-profile concerts on numerous occasions. In a 2020 interview with Ksenia Sobchak, he explained that he considers himself half-Ukrainian and avoids answering who Crimea belongs to:

I do not comment on who Crimea belongs to. I believe that public statements on this topic perhaps stoke hatred between Ukraine and Russia. I am Ukrainian; my grandmother is from Kyiv, my grandfather is from Kryvyi Rih, my mother is Ukrainian. And I consider myself half Ukrainian. I hold deep affection for both Ukraine and Russia, but I believe that reckless statements, whether trendy or uncool, merely add fuel to that fire.

Reaction to the full-scale invasion

Following the launch of Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, Basta never publicly condemned Russian armed aggression, effectively adopting a stance of deliberate silence.

In December 2022, appearing on Anastasia Ivleeva's talk show, he admitted that he had considered leaving Russia, while summarizing his attitude toward the war with the cynical phrase «So we just keep watching the movie»:

I thought about traveling somewhere. On the other hand, I cannot leave because I employ a large number of people... I am bound to this land both physically and mentally. I cannot leave here for long... So we just keep watching the movie.

Performance in occupied Crimea following the invasion

On August 16, 2022, Basta performed in Russian-occupied Sudak at the "Tavrida.Art" festival. Once again, the artist violated international law and Ukrainian legislation, legitimizing Russia's occupation of Crimea.

This was not a private appearance, but a major state-funded festival with an explicit state-patriotic agenda financed by Russian governmental bodies. Its program included patriotic rallies and the playing of the Russian state anthem, with Basta billed as a headline act.

Participation in Russia's patriotic agenda

In June 2025 and 2026, Basta publicly wished everyone a happy Russia Day on his social media accounts, once again omitting any mention of the atrocities committed by his "most beautiful" country in neighboring Ukraine.

Among the guests on Basta's talk show «Vopros rebrom», as well as within his public entourage, pro-war Z-celebrities who openly endorse the invasion appear with regularity: Mia Boyka, Artemy Lebedev, Vladimir Presnyakov, Polina Gagarina, Oksana Samoilova, Lyubov Uspenskaya, blogger Anar, and others.

What other artists say about Basta's stance

With many people, I stopped communicating back in 2014, and after February 24, with no one at all. Basta, it seemed to me, was for Ukraine before February 24. But afterward... he didn't say a word. And so many of my friends suddenly turned completely apolitical. «It’s all politics,» and then they started saying, «What could we possibly do?» Before this, they were tough rappers, and then they turned into such timid little people.

He was the very first person to call me, immediately. He asked if everything was alright with me and what assistance was needed. Listen to his latest album. He is not silent; people simply aren't listening.

Hello, Vasyok! You have relatives in Ukraine! Don't thank me, just a reminder! Thousands come to your concerts in Kyiv! Now go gather a crowd like that in the RF and do something! Don't stay silent! You're not Baskov, after all.

You didn't say a single word, you're probably very busy, so I decided to help write you a new song:

When I am gone
I will sing in the voices
Of brainless swine
They are simply switching our places
Such is the law of samsara
The cycle of mankind
Oh mama

Among colleagues in the genre, there is one person whose words carry more power than nuclear weapons — that is Basta. But, unfortunately, he remains silent. I hope that's only for now.

One day Vasya Vakulenko will show up in Novorossiya with humanitarian aid. Then he'll drop by a military hospital, and after that he'll come for the Ablution by Donbas... Everyone will immediately forget that since the start of the special military operation he was «watching the movie» and avoiding what was happening in every possible way. That's how many were laundered, and that's how Vasya will be cleaned up too... Donbas could have become a temple of the Russian World. So far, alas, it has only become a laundromat.