Apartment belonging to lead singer of anti-war Russian-Belarusian rock band Bi-2 reportedly targeted by arson attack

Unknown assailants set fire to the door of a Moscow apartment belonging to Yegor “Leva” Bortnik, lead singer of the rock band Bi-2 and a public critic of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Telegram channel Baza and the television channel REN TV.

Both reports cited a private Telegram channel that posted a video of the apparent arson attack. The clip also showed a message spray-painted on the wall next to the apartment reading, “Greetings to the enemy and traitor Leva from The Pianist.” According to Baza, the private channel also accused Bortnik of sending money to the Ukrainian military.

There’s been no official confirmation that the attack actually took place or that the apartment belongs to Bortnik. The musician has not publicly commented on the incident.

The Russian Justice Ministry designated Yegor Bortnik a “foreign agent” in May 2023.

In late January 2024, seven members of Bi-2 were arrested after a concert in Thailand for performing without official work permits. After being fined, the band members spent nearly a week in migrant detention centers while awaiting a decision on their deportation. They faced the threat of being deported to Russia, but in the end, they were allowed to fly to Israel instead. According to unofficial reports, Russia’s consul in Phuket Vladimir Sosnov personally demanded the musicians’ deportation to Russia, though the Russian Embassy in Thailand denied this. Concert organizers later admitted they had mishandled the band’s visa arrangements.