Sergey Lazarev is a Russian singer, actor, and television presenter. Former member of the pop duo «Smash!!». Born on April 1, 1983 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.
During Euromaidan, Lazarev was living in the center of Kyiv and witnessed events with his own eyes, rather than through the interpretations of Russian mass media. In an interview with the Ukrainian TV channel «1+1», the singer stated:
I know many people here in Ukraine, and I completely understand the pain, anxiety, and fatigue from the political turmoil of recent years. So much grief has accumulated for people that it burst like an abscess. This didn't happen for no reason. For me, Crimea is not Russia. I do not share the collective jubilation that Crimea has returned to us. I remain on normal terms with all singers, including Valeriya. The most important thing is not to lose one's senses and sense of proportion. Breaking things is easy — building is difficult. If someone had told me a year ago that Russians and Ukrainians would hate one another, I wouldn't have believed it. It hurts deeply to witness such hostility. I myself am one-quarter Ukrainian — on my grandmother's side.
Following this public statement, a smear campaign was initiated against him in Russia. A Russian parliamentarian branded Lazarev a traitor and distributed letters to prominent producers demanding that they refuse to work with the artist.
In August 2015, he was entered into the database of the Myrotvorets website for visiting Russian-occupied Crimea.
Since January 7, 2023, he has been under NSDC sanctions for anti-Ukrainian activities.
Sergey Lazarev’s Position on the War in Ukraine
Following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sergey Lazarev initially condemned the war, publishing a "No to War" post on social media, but later cowardice prevailed and he erased all of his anti-war publications.
However, by April 2022 the artist performed a complete about-face: retracting his statements in support of Ukraine and publicly professing his allegiance to Russia:
I am Russian! And I have never been ashamed of it! I sincerely love Russia! It raised me as a resilient individual and an established artist who twice represented his country at the Eurovision Song Contest, upheld its honor on the musical stage, and proudly flew the Russian flag.
The motivating factor was likely the singer's placement on the blacklist of entertainers whose careers were marked for disruption in the Russian Federation.
Fawning over the Kremlin, Lazarev took part in the pro-war propaganda musical-"patriotic" tour "ZaRossiyu", publicly declared his endorsement of the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, traveled to the village of Toporkovo where relocated Ukrainian children were being housed, and featured in Shaman's state-backed propaganda music video "Vstanem" («Let's Stand Up»).
To definitively ingratiate himself with Putin's regime, on June 6, 2022, he posted a propaganda publication on Instagram detailing the story of a girl from Yasynuvata, echoing claims of "8 years of shelling by Kyiv's Nazi regime" and highlighting his joint efforts alongside colleagues and volunteers in the occupied pseudo-republic "DPR":
Sergey Lazarev continues to tour extensively across Russian cities, stars in numerous mainstream television entertainment productions, and maintains his glamorous celebrity lifestyle.
Celebrities on Sergey Lazarev’s Position
A question for Serezha. Why are our gay guys going to the frontline and dying for their land, while you people keep proving more and more with your posts that you are total sellouts?
And look who finally spoke up — Sergey Lazarev. Helped tremendously. And showed off in a post. Just like a genuine benefactor is supposed to do. War is horrific. And children shouldn't suffer and die. With that I completely agree. But you see, Serezha, I have spoken with children without legs and arms. With children whose parents were killed by the bombs dropped by your country's army, Serezha. With children who were living peacefully and quietly in their towns until February 24. Strange story, though: before 2014, everyone lived wonderfully. Donetsk hosted Euro 2012. Oceans of Ukrainian flags throughout the city. The national anthem playing everywhere. And then all of a sudden 'the Nazis arrived' and started bombing schools. Come visit us here, Serezha, 're-evaluate and reconsider a lot.' We will guide you through schools and hospitals too. You can sing songs. About Spring.
Sergey, I have about 600 refugees from Donetsk region here telling a completely different story! Perhaps we should meet up and discuss it? Come to Kyiv, we will look for Nazis together! And do you have Nastya's picture? And the contact details of that foundation from Donbas?
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