Hundreds of youthful Russians gathered at a historic city square and sang a forbidden song calling for the overthrow of Vladimir Putin. In Kazanskaya Square, St Petersburg, a large crowd joined street musicians in singing ‘Cooperative Swan Lake,’ which was outlawed in May 2025 after being deemed “extremist” by a court. The song, created by Ukrainian musician Ivan Alexeyev, also known as rapper Noize MC, has emerged as an anti-war anthem for Russia’s youth opposing Putin’s leadership and the Ukraine invasion.

The song references the Soviet practice of airing Swan Lake during political crises, symbolizing regime changes and political turmoil. The crowd chanted lines like, “Where have you been for eight years, you monsters? I want to watch ballet, let the swans dance. Let your grandpa get excited for Swan Lake.”

Additionally, the song includes lyrics such as, “When the czar dies, we’ll dance again. The old man clings to his throne, afraid to let go. Old man in the bunker, still living in 1985.” Noize MC fled to Lithuania shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

An 18-year-old girl named Diana Loginova led the chants and was arrested by police, facing charges for organizing a large gathering in a public place as per Russian media reports. Diana’s mother, Irina, stated that her daughter had no political motives and sang the song due to its popularity and her admiration for Noize MC.

Irina emphasized that Diana is a patriot of Russia and has no plans to leave the country or support Ukraine. She clarified that Diana’s song choices are based on audience preferences and do not carry any hidden agenda or malicious intent.

The video surfaced amidst a series of successful strikes on Russia, including Ukrainian drones causing a major oil storage and transshipment hub in Russian-occupied Crimea to catch fire. Ukraine’s drone campaign targeting key Russian facilities has disrupted oil and gas infrastructure, leading to fuel shortages and a surge in gasoline prices across Russia.