In Crimea, DJ Yuri Radionov was arrested for 10 days for putting on a video for the song “Wild Field” by the Ukrainian rapper YARMAK. The clip showed the emblem of the Azov regiment of the National Guard of Ukraine, which Russia recognized as “terrorist”. This was reported by the Russian-controlled Leninsky District Court of Crimea.
The court considered that Radionov, by turning on the clip in the Crab cafe in Shchelkino on August 3, violated the law “On countering extremist activity” and “expressed clear disrespect for society.” He received 10 days of arrest for “demonstrating Nazi symbols” (part 1 of article 20.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses).
The DJ stated that he did not know the content of the video (in addition to demonstrating the symbols of Azov, the inscription “Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine” appears at the end of the video of the Ukrainian performer). The pro-Russian Krymskaya Gazeta published a video on social networks in which Radionov apologizes and claims that he fully supports the “special military operation”. According to media reports, the man who ordered the song and paid the DJ for it is Dmitry Gent. Whether he was fined or arrested is unknown.
This is not the first time people have been arrested for Ukrainian music. Earlier, the court of the Central District of Minsk arrested the singer Meryem Gerasimenko for 15 days for a song in Ukrainian - “Hug” by “Ocean Elzy” - near the local bar “Bottle Banks”. The owner of this bar, Andrei Zhuk, was arrested for 30 days. In June, Kase Kik, an activist from Adygeya, left Russia after being tortured by law enforcers after he asked for a song in Ukrainian to be played in a café.
In early August, the Supreme Court of Russia recognized the Azov regiment as a terrorist organization as part of the 12th operational brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, whose fighters defended the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. As Ivan Pavlov, head of the First Department human rights team, explained to The Insider, the court's decision is directed primarily not at the Azov Regiment, but at those who decide to interact with it in any way or express support.
