Singer Charlotte, whose real name is Eduard Charlotte, was linked in Telegram reports to a man from St. Petersburg who allegedly burned a Russian passport in Armenia. He was detained at Pulkovo airport in St. Petersburg. A video circulated showing the 25-year-old musician walking through the airport under escort by several police officers.
On November 12, the singer posted on Instagram, a platform owned by Meta, which has been identified by some as extremist content and banned in Russia. In that post, she said she planned to return to Russia to record a new album and asked fans to contribute a small amount toward a ticket.
“I am returning home to my homeland and intend to champion Russian-speaking culture. I have set my life toward this goal,” the artist later told followers.
A few days later, she shared a ticket from Yerevan to St. Petersburg and described her aim as a fight for Russian-speaking culture. She also entered a public dispute with another artist, SHAMAN, whose real name is Yaroslav Dronov. SHAMAN arrived in the Russian Federation on the night of November 22, and a video of his detention soon circulated online.
RT, citing the Department of Internal Affairs for St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region, reported that a criminal complaint had been filed against the artist and that she faced an administrative protocol for damaging a passport, discrediting the Russian Armed Forces, and petty hooliganism.
According to Mash on Moika, Charlotte was detained by Center E employees, which is the Department for Countering Extremism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“I won’t do this again”
The singer apologized during interrogation, saying the act resulted from a misreading of events and that she had been influenced by others. Footage of the interrogation appeared on Ekaterina Mizulina’s Telegram channel, who leads a safety organization focused on internet policy.
“She was misled by misinformation and promises she regrets,” the video notes, and the singer pledges, “I won’t do this again.”
Valery Charlotte’s father told socialbites.ca that he had learned of the arrest and that communication had been limited for some time. He acknowledged awareness of ongoing public discussion, saying he could not share new details and that the family had hoped for a different outcome.
Observers noted that the situation could involve further legal steps, and a public advocate from the People’s Call movement suggested that rehabilitation might occur if three conditions were met: a public apology, military service, and payment of fines under all applicable protocols.
“Military service could help instill a sense of national duty and clarity about the Northern Military District, after which discussions about cultural activities in Russia could continue,” a representative explained.
Activists from the People’s Call reported that information about Charlotte’s arrival in Russia was passed to police by movement members. On November 21, Mash reported that Charlotte was declared unsuitable for immediate military service due to a medical condition, specifically third-degree flat feet, and that a military ID had previously been held by the musician before a medical board decision.
“I should send him to a colony for a few years.”
On June 26, Charlotte posted a video on Instagram showing him burning his passport as a Russian citizen and appealing to Ukrainian authorities to arrange his entry into Kiev through an official invitation.
“I want to visit the capital of Ukraine, offer performances, and support charitable events. I am no longer a Russian citizen in good standing; I am now in a different country,” he stated in the video.
Earlier, he had posted clips criticizing Russian officials, including one in which a military ID and a portrait of Patriarch Kirill were associated with provocative content. After news of the passport burning, Ekaterina Mizulina, the head of the Safe Internet League, said the Investigative Committee would examine the incident for discrediting the Russian Armed Forces and insulting believers.
Vitaly Borodin, leader of a security and anti-corruption project, urged the Prosecutor General to bring charges, warning of potential imprisonment for endorsing hatred or hostility. Public organizations also weighed in, with groups calling for revoking citizenship or investigating public hooliganism.
One commentator suggested harsher measures, saying the person might sing differently after a spell in a penal setting. The singer’s father, interviewed by socialbites.ca, expressed confusion about the motives behind the actions and noted a lack of contact with his child. He mentioned concerns about potential influences and family dynamics, while acknowledging the son’s early life in Samara, St. Petersburg, and Moscow as part of a restless period that led to the current situation.