Diana Loginova in court on 28 October 2025. Photo: Novaya Gazeta Europe
A Russian street musician who was arrested in St. Petersburg earlier this month for performing songs by exiled anti-war musicians was fined 30,000 rubles (€320) for “discrediting the army” on Tuesday, independent news outlet Mediazona has reported.
Diana Loginova, the lead singer of the band Stoptime, who performs under the pseudonym Naoko, was taken to a police station on Monday night, hours before she was due to complete her initial 13-day prison term for “organising a mass event”.
Loginova was found guilty of “discrediting” the Russian Armed Forces while performing the song You are a Soldier, by Russian singer songwriter Monetochka. The song’s lyrics include the lines: “And whatever war you are fighting, Sorry, I’ll be on the other side.”
After the ruling, Loginova was taken to a police station again, where she will be held overnight, local outlet Bumaga reported, adding that Loginova was briefly tended to by medics after feeling unwell.
It has not yet been confirmed which fresh charges Loginova will be presented with, though Bumaga reported earlier that she may be facing another prison term of up to 15 days for “organising a mass event”.
However, local outlet Rotonda reported last week that Loginova may face a separate charge of “discrediting the army” for performing Svetlaya Polosa (Silver Lining), a song by exiled rapper Noize MC. If found guilty of re-offending, Loginova may face a larger fine and a prison term of up to five years.
Alexander Orlov, the band’s guitarist who was earlier sentenced to 12 days in prison alongside Loginova for organising a mass event, was detained as he was leaving a special detention centre having served his original sentence, local news outlet Bumaga reported on Monday evening, and taken to a St. Petersburg police station to be charged. The fate of the band’s drummer, Vladislav Leontyev, who is also behind bars, remains unknown.
St. Petersburg news outlet Fontanka reported on Tuesday that Orlov had also been charged with organising a mass event, mirroring his original charge, for which he could face a further 15 days in prison.
The arrests have led to outrage and an outpouring of solidarity with the musicians, with countless other artists taking to the streets of Russian cities and posting footage online. On Wednesday, a court in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg sentenced street musician Yevgeny Mikhaylov to 14 days in jail for petty hooliganism and “discrediting” the army for performing songs by the same two “foreign agent” artists in solidarity with Stoptime.
