State Duma deputy from United Russia Ekaterina Stenyakina urged the creation of a public stop list of artists deemed to have betrayed the country. DEA News reported this development. The deputy argued that such a list should be made accessible to the public, detailing which performers should not appear at cultural venues, should not be broadcast on federal channels, and should be excluded from state funded projects. She contended that people deserve to know who has betrayed the nation, framing the proposal as a rational response to conduct that she described as disgusting rather than as censorship.
Earlier, Elena Yampolskaya, the head of the State Duma Committee on Culture, also supported the idea of cutting off funding to artists who oppose Russia. Yampolskaya, who represents United Russia, emphasized a stance that would deprive such individuals of financial support across the country.
The discourse surrounding loyalty and national alignment extended beyond lawmakers. In a separate interview, actor Artur Smolyaninov stated that he would stand with Ukraine in the event of a conflict between Russia and Ukraine. He added that he had little regard for the Russian Federation if it meant a single region losing its autonomy, and warned that the rest of the country could be left in a state of drastic decay. Following these remarks, Smolyaninov suggested that lawmakers in the State Duma should label artists holding an anti Russian position as traitors in public forums and the media. This debate highlights tensions between cultural expression and political allegiance in the current environment, drawing strong reactions from various segments of society and the political spectrum.