Russia’s Investigative Committee opens criminal case on ‘rehabilitating Nazism’ against libertarian politician Mikhail Svetov

Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on “rehabilitating nazism” against libertarian politician and leader of the Civil Society movement Mikhail Svetov, sources told state news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS.

According to RIA Novosti, the basis of the case was a Svetov performing a song about early-20th-century Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera on his Telegram channel.

Independent publication Ostorozhno, Novosti says that Svetov performed and posted the song “Ah, Bandera, Ukrainian apostle!” in September 2021. In an interview with the publication, Svetov suggested that the current case against him arose after Vladislav Pozdnyakov, the leader of the unofficial Male State nationalist movement in Russia, denounced him. 

“Two years ago, Pozdnyakov’s supporters wrote a series of denunciations about a voice message where I sang Orest Lyuty’s song about Bandera. Today, the Investigative Committee has decided to open a criminal case against me on the basis of those denunciations. I’m used to the fact that in Russia, you don’t need a reason to open a criminal case, and the basis can be whatever suits [the authorities]. But this surprised even me. I feel like I’ve stumbled into the premier league of enemies of the Putin regime,” said Svetov.

Russia’s Justice Ministry declared Svetov a “foreign agent” in November 2022. He left Russia in 2021.