Russian Pop Star’s Condemnation of the War in Ukraine Is No Ordinary Anti-War Statement, Says Holy Cross Russian Studies Professor

Russia’s defining 20th-century pop star, Alla Pugacheva, declared her opposition to the invasion of Ukraine on Instagram earlier this month, emerging as the most significant A-list Russian celebrity to come out against the war. 

In a recent piece for The Conversation, Olga Partan, associate professor of Russian studies at Holy Cross, talks about Pugacheva’s cultural clout with everyday Russians and how her recent statements signal the greatest challenge yet to the tenuous relationship between Putin’s regime and popular culture in wartime Russia.

But will Pugacheva’s message against the war resonate with her millions of devoted fans? “Time will tell,” says Partan.

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.