‘Almost naked' party triggers backlash in wartime Moscow

MOSCOW

A celebrity-studded "almost naked" party in Moscow's famed Mutabor nightclub has drawn outrage from Russia's political establishment, which has become increasingly po-faced since the assault on Ukraine.

Footage showing Russian VIPs in lingerie and raunchy costumes led to the arrest of a rapper for wearing nothing but a strategically-placed sock, and calls for boycotts and investigations.

The scandal shows the shrinking space for anything deviating from conservative patriotism in Russia since its deadly assault in Ukraine almost two years ago.

Amid the backlash, organizer Anastasia Ivleeva published a tearful apology video.

"I would like to ask you, the people, for a second chance... If the answer is no, then I'm ready for my public execution," she said on Dec. 27.

Over 20 people filed a class lawsuit against her, demanding she pay 1 billion rubles ($11 million) to a charity supporting the assault on Ukraine.

Her apology left some unmoved, including influential state television presenter Vladimir Solovyov.

"You want a second chance? Bring our guys heaters and drones in Tokmak" on the southern Ukrainian frontline, he told her on Telegram.

In an earlier post, Solovyov called the attendees "beasts, scum" and said: "You have no idea how much the people hate you."

The arrested rapper, Vasio, had already been sentenced to 15 days in jail for distributing "gay propaganda" and petty hooliganism, state-run news agency TASS said.

He was convicted under the "LGBTQ propaganda" law banning positive information on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, which authorities toughened last year.

Russia's conservative spiral has deepened since the military operation in Ukraine. But until recently liberal high society circles in Moscow had rarely been affected.

Apologies from people who attended the Dec. 20 party have been trickling out over the past few days.

Russia's flamboyant pop king Filipp Kirkorov asked for forgiveness after footage circulated of him wearing a sparkling lace outfit with futuristic sunglasses.

"In today's difficult and heroic times, an artist of my calibre... cannot and should not be so irresponsible when participating in various events," he said on camera.

Ksenia Sobchak, a media personality and the daughter of Vladimir Putin's mentor, appeared in several photos in a beige dress with barbed wire patterns.

She said she understood "showing photos of the party to the whole world was inappropriate" at the moment in a post on social media.

And singer Dima Bilan said he "understood the resentment of our people, especially guys who are defending us on the frontline."

The Kremlin refused to comment, but Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova addressed the controversy.

"Life teaches us painful lessons," she said on Sputnik radio, according to state-run television.

"These people need to realize the depth of the problem and become better. For their own sake," she said.