Nikolay Baskov, Russian singer
Nikolay Baskov/Instagram
Russian singer Nikolay Baskov supported the war in Ukraine even at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion. In his social networks, he argued that the attack was alleged “absolutely appropriate” and the war “fully complies with international law” (as an example, the singer cited Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, noting that it refers to the right to individual and collective self-defence). However, Baskov did not add that this article provides for self-defence “if there is an armed attack on a member of the organisation.” No one attacked Russia, but it itself criminally invaded the territory of an independent and sovereign state. But the threat of force or its use is precisely a direct violation of the UN Charter, which the Russian Federation did.
The Russian singer also argued that the mentioned Article 51 of the UN Charter allegedly “applies not only to Russia, as a member of the UN, but also to its allies – the DPR and the LPR, which the aggressor country recognized as “independent”. However, the mentioned pseudo-republics are not recognized in the world by anyone except a handful of countries, and, of course, have never been members of the UN. Therefore, Baskov, with his publication in support of the war, at least demonstrated his legal illiteracy and lack of moral values – because for him, the invasion of a foreign country, the killing of peaceful people , the bombing of cities, torture and abuse of civilians appears to be the norm.
Baskov calls the invasion of Ukraine a “peacekeeping operation” that is supposed to “put an end to the genocide and prevent an attack on Russia.” At the same time, in his statements, the Russian singer generously uses the Kremlin’s rhetoric about the alleged “defascisification and demilitarization of Ukraine”, “the need to stop the murders of Russian-speaking citizens” and the threat that the Russian Federation faced, as Ukraine “builds up its military infrastructure”.
In the future, Baskov constantly acted as a mouthpiece of Kremlin propaganda. He spread nonsense that Ukraine allegedly “supports Nazism at the state level” and called fake the information that Russian invaders are dying in Ukraine by the thousands.
The singer also performed in the so-called “DPR” and “LPR”. For example, on 22 June 2022, he sang “Holy War” at the Savur Grave in the temporarily occupied Donetsk region. During this trip, he cynically and baselessly compared modern Ukrainians with the Nazis in World War II.
Main statements
1. He stated that the war allegedly unleashed by Russia “fully complies with international law” and that the Russian Federation is carrying out “defascisification and demilitarization of Ukraine”:
2. Baskov thanked the occupiers for “liberating the world from fascism”:
3. As a sign of mourning for the fallen Russian occupiers, he promised to wear black clothes until the end of the war against Ukraine:
