How 'Swan Lake' became a symbol of protest in Russia
ABC News
As Russians seek to subtly protest the invasion of Ukraine amid a crackdown on anti-war sentiment, "Swan Lake" has been a go-to symbol.
As Russians seek to subtly protest the invasion of Ukraine amid a crackdown on anti-war sentiment, "Swan Lake" has been a go-to symbol.
The famous Russian ballet may seem like an unlikely choice to foreigners, but it is a powerful historical reference for Russians that is being used as one of several coded forms of protest during the war, according to Russian State University anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova.
"It's quite dangerous now to protest in Russia," Arkhipova, who was abroad when the invasion started and has decided not to return to Moscow, told ABC News' podcast "Start Here" from Berlin.
Anti-war demonstrations in Russia have been shut down by authorities and led to mass arrests. A law passed by the Russian parliament in early March criminalizes public opposition to the war -- and makes it illegal to call the "military operation" a war.
