Russia stirs up controversy over wartime lingerie party

Anastasia Ivleeva (left) and pop star Filipp Kirkorov at a controversial party in Moscow (Photo: Instagram/@Nastya Ivleeva).

According to Ura.ru news agency, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the event had "tainted" the participants, but now they had a chance to correct themselves.

The party has faced backlash from authorities, lawmakers, bloggers, state media and Orthodox Church groups.

The party, which took place at the Mutabor nightclub in Moscow on December 21, was organized by blogger Anastasia Ivleeva and featured many celebrities in revealing outfits. One male rapper even used only a sock to cover his private parts.

Ivleeva, who attended the party wearing $251,000 worth of jewelry at a time when some Russians were struggling with daily life, released two public apology videos .

In a second tearful video posted on December 27, Ivleeva expressed remorse and admitted that she deserved all the criticism. However, she still hoped that she could be given a “second chance.”

Some were not convinced by the apology, including state TV presenter Vladimir Solovyov.

“You want a second chance? Bring heaters and drones to our guys in Tokmak” on the front line in southern Ukraine, Mr Solovyov said on Telegram.

Russia's tax agency has opened an investigation into Ivleeva, while a group of people have filed a lawsuit demanding that Ivleeva pay $10.9 million for causing "moral pain".

If the lawsuit is successful, the plaintiffs want to transfer the money to a state fund to support veterans who fought in Ukraine.

“It is selfish to hold such events at a time when our boys are falling in the special military operation and many children are fatherless,” said Yekaterina Mizulina, director of the Russian Safe Internet Federation, an organization founded with the support of the authorities.

“The soldiers on the front lines certainly don't fight for this,” said Ms. Mizulina.

Several other partygoers also apologized.

The scandal comes at a time when Russia is reinforcing traditional values. President Vladimir Putin has urged families to have eight or more children, while Russia's Supreme Court has banned the international LGBT movement for being "extremist".

Other big names have had shows and TV appearances canceled, sponsorships dropped, and in at least one case, a role in a new movie cut.

The scandal has angered supporters of Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine.

In a post to the Safe Internet Coalition, a woman whose nephew lost both legs in combat suggested that celebrities should compensate by buying prosthetic legs for her nephew and others.

“That apology would be better,” the anonymous woman wrote.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nuoc-nga-day-song-vi-bua-tiec-do-lot-giua-thoi-chien-20231228222013644.htm