Russian DJ Charged With 'Discrediting' Army For Playing Song By Ukrainian Artist

A court in Russia's western Tula region has fined a local DJ after he played a song by a Ukrainian music act in a club during Russian President Vladimir Putin's most recent New Year address, authorities announced Saturday.

Tula's Novomoskovsky District Court imposed a 40,000-ruble ($540) penalty against Sergey Vasiliev after he was found guilty of "discrediting" the Russian Armed Forces, according to a court order dated Friday.

While providing musical accompaniment for an event held at the Flagman bar in Novomoskovsky's administrative capital on Dec. 31, 2022, Vasiliev reportedly played the song "New Year" by the Ukrainian duo Potap & Nastya.

The track was played in the presence of visitors through the establishment's audio system at the same time Putin delivered his televised New Year address, Novomoskovsky District Court claimed.

Footage of the scene that featured Putin's words being perceived as "distorted and dissonant" later surfaced on social media, Fontanka, a newspaper based in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, reported.

A case under Article 20.3.3 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offences was filed against Vasiliev following the incident.

Under the supplementary article that was signed into law by Putin in March last year, individuals can be penalized with administrative fines for "discrediting" Russia's military.

Vasiliev pleaded not guilty in his case, but Novomoskovsky District Court found that his actions "undermined the confidence" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine that began nearly a year ago, Tula's judicial press service announced Sunday in a statement posted on Telegram.

Meanwhile, the creator of the video that was shared online, Stanislav Ermakov, was also fined 45,000 rubles ($605) under Article 20.3.3 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offences, independent news outlet Meduza reported.

In a similar story, a Russian court sentenced a man to jail after he listened to Ukrainian music in his car.

Traffic police detained Anton Usov on Oct. 12, 2022, because he listened to Ukrainian music in Moscow.

Usov, a resident of the Russian capital, was taken to the Kitay-Gorod Police Department, where two reports were drawn up against him.

He was found guilty of discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and disobeying the police.

The Tver Regional Court in Moscow sentenced him to 15 days in jail and imposed a fine of 50,000 rubles, or around $675 today.