Chicherina Releases Video for Soldier Featuring Vladlen Tatarsky, the War Reporter Killed in St. Petersburg Attack
Russian singer Yulia Chicherina has released a music video for her track Soldier, a piece that intertwines themes of duty and remembrance with images honoring the late war correspondent Vladlen Tatarsky, whose real name was Maxim Fomin. The premiere occurred on April 7, following Tatarsky’s death on April 2 during a terrorist attack that shook the city. The announcement and subsequent reaction highlighted a moment when music, memory, and current events intersect in a single artistic statement. The visual narrative anchored by Tatarsky’s presence brought a tangible connection to the frontline and the people who report from it, resonating with audiences across Russia and beyond. (Source attribution: contemporary entertainment coverage and posthumous remembrances reported by multiple outlets.)
The song itself paints a portrait of a simple Russian soldier who defends the Motherland, a figure framed by the broader sacrifice of those who lose their lives at the front. It moves beyond individual bravery to reflect on the collective memory of service, fidelity, and the quiet endurance of families and communities that wait for news from the battlefield. The lyrics speak to endurance and national sentiment, inviting listeners to consider the human cost of conflict while acknowledging the role of soldiers who stand in harm’s way. (Source attribution: music press and official statements surrounding the release.)
Concluding the video sequence are archival clips in which Tatarsky discusses his Orthodox faith and his continued support for Russian soldiers. Those moments ground the production in a spiritual frame, suggesting that war narratives can be inseparable from personal belief and moral perspective. The montage invites viewers to reflect on the complex layer of identity, faith, and duty that Tatarsky represented in his reporting and public persona. (Source attribution: posthumous footage notes and media reviews.)
Chicherina explained that the clip was originally planned to launch during the Easter period, a timing choice that would have aligned the song with themes of renewal. She noted that the project was delayed, with time imposing its own constraints. The decision to move the release to an earlier moment in the spring carried additional resonance, given Tatarsky’s recent passing and the ongoing public conversations about war, media coverage, and commemoration. (Source attribution: artist interviews and press roundups.)
On April 8, reports confirmed Tatarsky was laid to rest at Moscow’s Troekurovsky Cemetery, a ceremony that drew many mourners and public figures. Media estimates placed the attendance well over a thousand, underscoring Tatarsky’s prominence as a blogger and military journalist. The funeral featured traditional honors, including a guard of honor and a military band, and it reflected the public weight of Tatarsky’s career and the circumstances surrounding his death. Among the attendees were notable figures such as Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group’s private military company, and Leonid Slutsky, a prominent political leader. In a symbolic gesture, a nominal hammer and signature were sent by PMC fighters as a farewell, a nod to Tatarsky’s work and the ongoing conflict narrative surrounding his reporting. (Source attribution: Moscow funeral coverage from major Russian news outlets.)