«Elysium» (Элизиум) is a Russian rock band from Nizhny Novgorod, founded by its bassist and frontman Dmitry Kuznetsov in 1995.
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.
The band members are fierce opponents of Putin's regime. Back during the presentation of the album «Zlo umryot» (Evil Will Die) in 2011, the band, through Dmitry Kuznetsov, addressed fans with a reminder about the upcoming spring presidential election and an appeal to vote for any party against «United Russia».
Dmitry Kuznetsov spoke out sharply against the annexation of Crimea:
We reject invitations to all kinds of «Krymnash» events immediately, but if it is something decent, I say: «Guys, we will come, but only through the territory of Ukraine.» They ask: «Why? There's a flight from Moscow to Simferopol!» I tell them: «Because. Crimea is part of Ukraine.
On April 3, 2021, the management of Moscow's Glavclub venue forbade the musicians from projecting the image «Freedom to Political Prisoners» with a photograph of Alexey Navalny on screen during the performance of the song «Privet, eto Navalny» (Hello, this is Navalny).
Dmitry Kuznetsov’s («Elysium») Position on the War in Ukraine
On April 9, 2022, at a concert in Moscow, the band performed «Tanks Belong in Museums» and songs in the Ukrainian language. During the performance, a white-blue-white anti-war flag was displayed on screen behind the musicians. Following this, a video surfaced on social networks in which Dmitry Kuznetsov, standing against the backdrop of the FSB headquarters on the Lubyanka, offered justifications for the concert:
The concert of the band «Elysium» in Moscow on April 9 was not an anti-war concert, nor was it a planned anti-war action. The band Elysium is against Nazis of all nationalities. The colors of the white-blue-white flag on stage were not a planned action of solidarity with anyone. This will not happen again at concerts.
Due to Elysium's active anti-war stance, Dmitry Kuznetsov was forced to deal with the security services. Subsequently, the group was blacklisted, and widespread cancellations of their performances began.
Currently, most band members are back in Russia. On Elysium's social network community, only a single concert in February 2023 in Tel Aviv was announced:
We are like musical partisans now, – says Kuznetsov, expressing no enthusiasm on the matter whatsoever. – Almost nobody is left in Russia. Perhaps we are the last ones who haven't emigrated. We will continue playing as long as people are willing to organize concerts for us!
Since 2024, the band has been touring abroad, giving concerts in Georgia, Armenia, Montenegro, Serbia, and the Czech Republic.
Furthermore, the band's tracks were removed from the music streaming service «Yandex Music». According to «Yandex Music», the tracks were removed from the platform by the rights holder.
What Dmitry Kuznetsov Says About the War: Quotes
It hurts me when people in Ukraine say that all Russians are enemies. Even if 80% support for Putin is true, there remains 20%. That means in the RF there are 30 million Russians who oppose the regime and support Ukraine. Considering that among your 40 million you have your own «vatniks», I wouldn't rule out that in Ukraine itself there aren't more people who hate Putin than in Russia. Therefore, I ask: call those in Russia who oppose Ukraine Putinists, imperialists, and so on, but not «all Russians.
Celebrities on the Position of the Band «Elysium»
... One of the most glaring examples is the band «Elysium». In April of last year, they performed a concert in Moscow against the backdrop of the opposition's white-blue-white flag and sang in Ukrainian. Following that, Dima Kuznetsov, their leader, recorded two whole penitent videos. It's a murky case, not entirely clear, but I think he was forced into doing it.
За 30 лет группа ни разу не зассала, не продалась и не скурвилась. То, что путинизм - абсолютное зло, они заявили ещё в нулевых. В 2011 записали свои песни на украинском. Поддержали Femen, Pussy Riot, ЛГБТ-людей, подвергающихся давлению. В 2014 выпустили против оккупации украинских регионов. Поддержали беларусскую оппозицию и Алексея Навального. И с 2022, не смотря на давление, продолжают работать, во многом уйдя буквально в партизанское подполье.
Если благодаря кому панк в россии не умер, то благодаря Элизиуму и нескольким молодым группам.
Він хоч сам зрозумів, що видав? Якщо у рф 20% (30 млн) ненавидить путіна і в Україні — стільки ж (а той й менше, за словами цього «не імперця»), то половина українців (більше 20 млн із 40) — путіністи? Логіка пішла далеко і надовго...