Summary
Russia is intensifying efforts to use cultural festivals, concerts, and media campaigns to boost patriotic sentiment and public unity as the war in Ukraine continues. Analysts say the Kremlin’s strategy seeks to merge entertainment with ideological messaging to sustain national morale.
Moscow, October 25 — Across major Russian cities, large-scale cultural events are increasingly infused with patriotic themes as the Kremlin deepens its investment in state-backed propaganda through music and arts.
At recent festivals in St. Petersburg and other cities, banners encouraged visitors to use MAX — the state-supported messenger app promoted as a secure alternative to Western platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Critics, however, warn the app is closely monitored by authorities.
The VK Festival, one of the largest gatherings this year, combined concerts, entertainment, and family attractions with nationalistic displays. Before the final performance, thousands sang the Russian national anthem — a symbol of growing state influence in cultural spaces.
Cultural researcher Oshank Hashemi noted that during wartime, people often display national identity more prominently. “The Kremlin clearly invests in and supports artists who express these feelings,” he said.
Since 2022, the government has reportedly allocated around 161 billion rubles ($1.7 billion) for patriotic and pro-war projects. Official data show the number of state-sponsored cultural events has nearly doubled — from 514 in 2023 to 905 in 2024.
One high-profile initiative, the revival of the Cold War-era Intervision Song Contest, was presented as a symbol of “cultural dialogue” but widely seen as a political project. The event was overseen by senior Kremlin officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
Russia’s most prominent patriotic performer, Shaman, represented the country but asked judges not to score his performance — a move interpreted as an effort to avoid a politically awkward result.
Music critic Artemy Troitsky said Shaman remains “the only relatively successful” pro-war cultural figure, despite vast state funding for similar propaganda efforts.
Still, the messaging appears to resonate with parts of the public. One concertgoer told The Moscow Times, “I like this trend of loving your country — not the authorities, but its people, nature, and culture. That’s really great.”