A Moscow court sentences exiled comedian Semyon Slepakov (in absentia) to 400 hours of community service over a song mocking Putin as an ‘eternal little president’

Source: Mediazona

A Moscow court sentenced comedian Semyon Slepakov in absentia to 400 hours of community service under Part 2 of Article 330.1 of Russia’s Criminal Code for violating the requirements imposed on “foreign agents,” the independent Russian outlet Mediazona reported.

According to investigators, Slepakov, “harboring animosity toward the activities of Russia’s president and armed forces,” published several posts on Instagram in January 2026 without the required “foreign agent” disclaimer. One of the posts featured a video of the comedian performing a parody of the song “Matushka-Zemlya” (“Mother Earth”). The parody included the line: “Diktatushki-diktata, vechny prezidentushka!” (“Sweet little dictatorship of diktat, eternal little president!”)

News of the criminal case against Slepakov became public in April 2026. Prosecutors said the comedian had twice faced administrative penalties in a single year for posting without the “foreign agent” disclaimer.

Slepakov previously performed on the comedy competition show KVN and at Comedy Club, and he has worked as a producer and writer for the show Nasha Russia and the TV series Interny and Univer. He is also known for his satirical songs, including on political subjects. In 2022, Slepakov spoke out against Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and left the country. Russia’s Justice Ministry designated him a “foreign agent” in April 2023.

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A Moscow court sentences exiled comedian Semyon Slepakov (in absentia) to 400 hours of community service over a song mocking Putin as an ‘eternal little president’

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A Moscow court sentences exiled comedian Semyon Slepakov (in absentia) to 400 hours of community service over a song mocking Putin as an ‘eternal little president’

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