‘Almost naked’ celebrity party triggers backlash in wartime Russia

Rapper jailed and other partygoers under investigation amid conservative outrage over party at Moscow’s Mutabor nightclub.

A rapper who partied at a Moscow nightclub wearing nothing but a strategically-placed sock has been jailed for 15 days, and several other Russian stars have issued public apologies after a celebrity party with the dress code “almost naked” triggered a storm of criticism and a slew of investigations.

The crackdown came after pictures from the party, which took place on the night of December 20 and was organised by TV presenter and actress Anastasia Ivleeva, began circulating on social media.

Amid the scantily-clad celebrities at the Mutabor nightclub was Vacio, the rapper, while Ivleeva was pictured flaunting an emerald-studded chain around her backside worth 23 million roubles ($251,000) at a time when some Russians are struggling to get by.

Conservative legislators, bloggers and others were fiercely critical, contending the images were unseemly, even unpatriotic, for the country, which launched a full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022. The issue has dominated the headlines for days, pushing out stories about rising egg prices and other concerns.

Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the event had “stained” those who took part, but that they now had a chance to work on themselves, the Ura.ru news outlet reported.