Moscow Can’t Stop the Music
AtlanticOCT 3
Russians Sing Banned Anti-War Song in St. Petersburg Protest
Above: An aerial view shows St. Isaak's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, July 27, 2025. Image copyright: Contributor/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Russia narrative
These St. Petersburg protesters are naive young people manipulated by a foreign agent who betrays Russia while Ukrainian forces kill civilians in border regions. They sing catchy songs without understanding the real violence happening in Kursk and Belgorod, where drones terrorize innocent Russians daily. These misguided youth would flee in terror if they witnessed the actual brutality their protest songs inadvertently support.
Anti-Russia narrative
The St. Petersburg protest reveals Putin's regime is losing control as young Russians openly call for his overthrow through banned songs. This cultural dissent highlights a generational shift among Russians raised on global culture who reject Kremlin nostalgia and question the failing war narrative. The regime's panicked response and mass arrests prove these acts of defiance are chipping away at the foundation of authoritarian control.