The Russian Orthodox Church has demanded an apology from Alla Pugacheva, the country’s most famous pop singer who returned home this week, for her criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
ByThe Associated Press
November 3, 2023, 8:46 a.m.
FILE – Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian pop singer Alla Pugacheva pose for a photo during an awards ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 22, 2014. The Russian Orthodox Church, on Friday, November 3, 2023., demanded an apology from Alla Pugacheva, the country’s most famous pop singer who returned home this week, for her criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine. (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin swimming pool photo via AP, file)
The Associated Press
The Russian Orthodox Church on Friday demanded an apology from Alla Pugacheva, the country’s most famous pop singer who returned home this week, for her criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Pugacheva, extremely popular for decades in Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, left the country for Israel with her husband several weeks after Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
In September of the same year, she attracted the attention of supporters and opponents of the conflict by claiming that Russian soldiers were dying for “illusory goals” and that the country had become “a pariah”.
She also provocatively suggested that authorities designate her as a “foreign agent” – a status already applied to her husband Maxim Galkin, an actor and comedian.
Although Russia enacted a law after the start of the war in Ukraine providing for prison sentences or fines for denigrating the armed forces, Pugacheva was not charged. She returned to Russia in May to attend the funeral of fashion designer Valentin Yudashkin, where Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kissed her hand.
She then left the country, but returned this week, Russian news agencies reported Friday.
Church spokesman Vakhtang Kipshidze was quoted by the official RIA-Novosti news agency as saying that Russians “who accompanied their departure by insulting their people or making controversial statements should apologize “. This also applies to Alla Borisovna,” Pugacheva’s surname.
The Church strongly supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
