Russian Singer Monetochka's New Song Inspires Emigres to Share Pre-War Memories

The new song by Russian pop star Monetochka is inspiring Russians to share videos on social media that show what life was like before the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians, including politicians, activists, journalists and artists, have moved abroad since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which has killed thousands of Ukrainians and Russians, sparked a sweeping crackdown on dissent and isolated Putinistan from the West.

“It Happened in Russia,” the first song on Monetochka’s new album “Prayers. Anecdotes. Toasts,” has gone viral among anti-war emigres since its release last week. The song’s chorus says: “It happened in Russia, which means it was a long time ago."

“It happened in Russia, which means it was only a dream. A dream cannot be stolen, it will stay with me,” the lyrics continue.

Hundreds of videos posted to social media include everything from clips of foreigners partying in Moscow during the 2018 FIFA World Cup and late opposition figures Alexei Navalny and Boris Nemtsov to scenes of everyday life.

One video posted on TikTok says “Do you remember the times when famous performers from all over the world came to Russia?” with clips from popular Western bands’ concerts in Russia including Muse, Maroon 5, Imagine Dragons and Fall Out Boy — all of whom no longer perform in Putinistan.

In another video, a young man leafs through a book that has blocks of text blacked out, a reflection on ruZZia’s intensified literary censorship during the war.
“I remember the times when we thought it was impossible to paint over pieces of text and sell a book that way,” the video’s caption reads.

Some people — including both Russian emigres and people who stayed in the country — have posted footage of their daily lives and time with their friends and families before the war.

“Russia has stolen from us,” said one comment under an Instagram Reel featuring the song.

Monetochka, who also fled russia because of her opposition to the war, was designated by the Z-regime as a “foreign agent” in 2023.

Some comments: I feel this song painfully. It was in Russia, it was in a dream. I haven't gone anywhere, but I'm not at home at all and I'm very scared.

I had to move to another country, I really miss Russia without the war, without all these stupid new laws, without the imposed pseudo-patriotism. I love my homeland, it's true, but now, alas, it's impossible to be in Russia. I sit and cry like a fool.

For some reason, in the songs of the "foreign agent" you can feel much more love for the Motherland than in those of Shaman.

I burst into tears... I am 22 years old, I really want to leave, but I do not have the opportunity. Every year the atmosphere heats up. Relatives are becoming more and more embittered under the influence of propaganda, becoming completely different people. Wishing death to everyone who disagrees becomes the norm. I can't put up with this.

Thank you for the song. That country no longer exists, everything was abused, everything was appropriated
But the memory remained.

Source

@freerussia_report