Members of Russia's youth are becoming more aware about their country's political situation because of how their favorite musicians are being treated by the government, the Washington Post reported.
This started in August of this year after Russian artist Ivan Alekseev, more popularly known by his stage name Noize MC, performed at a concert in Ukraine.
While performing his rendition of a Ukrainian song, a local fan handed him a flag of the country. Alekseev, a hip-hop artist known for incorporating social commentaries in his songs' lyrics, took the token as he continued his performance.
During that time, Ukraine has started accusing Russia of supporting rebel groups by sending weapons and soldiers. Due to the tension between the two countries, Russian officials considered the image of Alekseev holding the Ukrainian flag as a sign of betrayal.
Since then, Russian authorities have carried out various operations to cancel the artist's live concerts. Some of his performances were even raided by law enforcers who claimed that the concertgoers were conducting illegal activities.
"We know we are blacklisted," Alekseev told the BBC regarding the cancellations of his concerts. "We are being watched and monitored everywhere. It's pretty creepy."
I'm really against war," he added. "And now this kind of position is considered dangerous."
After seeing how Alekseev was being treated, young fans of the artist, who used to be apolitical, are beginning to understand their government operates.
"I'm not that involved in politics," 19-year-old Alexei Kornev told the Washington Post. "I'm more interested in what's happening to my idols, and politics only as a consequence of that. But nobody and nothing should be in the way of music."
"It's stupid. It happened because Noize appeared onstage in Ukraine, and they called him a traitor," added another fan, 21-year-old Egor Kaluga.
"Then, there were persecutions of non-conformist artists, but with Noize MC, there is no politics," he continued. "He only speaks his opinion - he doesn't organize demonstrations or call on anyone to do anything."
Although the issue has made teens and young adults more aware about Russia's current political situation, experts warned that the persecution of artists may produce a drastic effect on the country.
"You cannot ban people from listening to music that they want to - this is not efficient, and it is dangerous," youth center director and sociologist Elena Omelchenko told the Washington Post.
She noted that during the time of the Soviet Union, a number of bands and artists moved to the underground scene to escape communist ideology. This led to the formation of new youth subcultures that eventually led to a historic revolution that changed the country.
