While Russia is at war with Ukraine, an "almost naked" party in the country has angered Vladimir Putin, reported news agency Reuters. The party was held on December 21 at Moscow's Mutabor nightclub and organised by blogger Anastasia (Nastya) Ivleeva. A rapper named Nikolai Vasilyev attended the party with only a sock to cover his modesty. Vasilyev has been sent to prison for 15 days by a Moscow court and fined 100,000 roubles ($2,182) for propaganda of "non-traditional sexual relations."
Reportedly, Russian troops fighting in Ukraine complained about the party when they got to know about it. Photographs of the party were shown to Putin who was quite miffed by the scandalous event. Notably, Putin is preparing for elections to be held in the country in March next year.
On Wednesday, Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesperson, asked reporters to avoid discussing the scandalous event. Peskov said:
"Let you and I be the only ones in the country who aren't discussing this topic."
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The event has been highly criticised by many people including bloggers, state media, and Orthodox Church groups.
"To hold such events at a time when our guys are dying in the (Ukrainian) special military operation and many children are losing their fathers is cynical," said Yekaterina Mizulina, director of Russia's League for a Safe Internet.
{{/usCountry}}"To hold such events at a time when our guys are dying in the (Ukrainian) special military operation and many children are losing their fathers is cynical," said Yekaterina Mizulina, director of Russia's League for a Safe Internet.
{{/usCountry}}"Our soldiers on the front line are definitely not fighting for this," added Mizulina.
The party's organiser Ivleeva reportedly wore jewellery worth 23 million roubles ($251,000) at a time when some Russians are struggling for their daily needs amid rising egg prices and inflation. Ivleeva has issued two public apology videos amid furore over the scandalous party. In a teary-eyed video message on December 27, she expressed regret and pleaded for "a second chance."
Interestingly, the party was also attended by journalist Ksenia Sobchak whose late father Anatoly used to be Putin's friend.