Oleg Gazmanov is a Russian pop singer, composer, and poet. Merited Artist of Russia (1995), People's Artist of Russia (2001). He was born on July 22, 1951, in Gusev, Kaliningrad Oblast, RSFSR.
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 March 2014, he signed a collective statement titled "Russian cultural figures in support of the President's stance on Ukraine and Crimea."
In July 2014, he was placed on the list of foreigners banned from entering Latvia indefinitely for "facilitating the undermining of Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty."
In July 2015, he was entered into the database of the Myrotvorets website for encroaching on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, promoting Russian fascism and Nazism, and other offenses.
In August 2015, he was included in the list of individuals posing a threat to Ukraine's national security.
In June 2024, the singer's artist profile on Spotify was removed by the platform, and in July his YouTube channel was permanently terminated.
! In Ukraine, broadcasting and commercial distribution of creative works featuring Oleg Gazmanov is strictly prohibited by law.
Position of Oleg Gazmanov on the war in Ukraine
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory, Putinist and Ukrainophobe Oleg Gazmanov naturally sided with the aggressor and fully endorsed the so-called special military operation.
On February 27, 2022, in a post on Instagram, Gazmanov regurgitated all standard tropes of Russian state propaganda to "explain" to his daughter, who had "read all sorts of things online," the alleged reasons behind Russia's attack on Ukraine:
Around Russia there are bases with weapons of mass destruction aimed right at us.
They were built and are multiplying to destroy our state, our peoples, and our families! The missile flight time from Poland, Hungary, and other NATO countries is mere minutes!
They want to admit Ukraine into NATO! They pumped it with weapons and have been raising it in hatred toward us for 30 years.
A danger emerged of nuclear weapons appearing there, which, under Nazis and an inadequate government directed from abroad, could be used against us....
...If a fight is inevitable, strike first.
In any case, one must stand with their country and people!
In November 2022, he took part in recording the propagandistic anthem "Vstanem" ("Let's Rise") alongside other Kremlin loyalist artists. The song's author, pop singer Shaman, composed it at the onset of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In May 2023, Gazmanov visited the 291st Guards Artillery Brigade of the 58th Combined Arms Army:
It is a great honor for any artist to stand before you. Right now a despicable war is underway, which is why all hope rests on you. Thank you immensely for your bravery!
Despite stoking jingoism among the Russian populace and urging ordinary people to go and die "for the motherland," Oleg Gazmanov strongly opposed sending his own son Rodion to the front line. The artist addressed this on air at Komsomolskaya Pravda:
Are you hinting that he should enlist as a volunteer? My eldest son and I practically never leave the military hospitals where we sing for our boys. Would it really be better if we went over there (to the front line. – Ed.)?« He also added that his eldest son is 41 years old, never served in the armed forces, and does not know how to fight.
The pro-war singer's real estate assets in Italy and Latvia were frozen under international sanctions. Gazmanov purchased these apartments over 15 years ago, but can now neither sell nor rent them out:
This is my property in Italy, I purchased it, and now, just like in Latvia, I have no right to sell this apartment, rent it out, or use it. They cynically force me to keep paying utility bills. In the EU, they justify this by claiming they fear I might sell the apartment and use the proceeds to support the SMO.
In June 2024, the singer released another Z-propaganda track titled "Russkiy Mir" ("Russian World"):
When the Union collapsed and borders were drawn
Part of the Motherland was left beyond the nation's lawn
We don't abandon our own, we won't leave them out in the cold
Whoever harms our own will bitterly regret what unfolds
Whoever toppled monuments and disturbed sacred graves
Will hear the Russian World rolling in with shining armor that paves!
Oleg Gazmanov is one of the most fervent celebrity proponents of the war against Ukraine. He relentlessly headlines pro-war rallies and state propaganda concerts, continuously glorifying Russian military aggression.
