The weaponisation of music in today’s Russia

Russian pop singer, Oleg Gazmanov, performing at a military ceremony. Photo: ID1974/Shutterstock

However, music can also be used as a means of propaganda or to enhance the influence of propaganda. Since political speeches are heavy and sometimes tedious, music, with its entertaining elements, serves as a supplement to make the messages easier to convey. In fact, music has been used for propaganda purposes for centuries. It was also used during the Second World War, on all fronts, in the United States, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Each and every party was using music for its own objectives, including maintaining social order, boosting soldier morale, inspiring people and instilling a sense of patriotism or nationalism.

Popular war tunes

The use of music for propagandistic purposes in contemporary Russia does not deviate from historical norms. This is even more so during the time of the war in Ukraine, in which the unwavering resistance of the Ukrainians is challenging the Russian political establishment’s control within the country. Indeed, protests against the war appeared in the country during the early stages of the war, but they were promptly suppressed. Moreover, celebrities and once pro-state figures such as the prima donna of Russian show business Alla Pugacheva, her husband and renowned showman Maksim Galkin, or singer Laima Vaikule and others, left the country as a sign of protest. In this context, the Russian government had to turn to music again to reshape the sentiments of the society.

The ten most popular songs created during the war period in Russia are presented below. A content analysis outlines the extent in which the songs are connected to Russian state propaganda and ideology. The selected songs are generally inspirational and emotional, touching upon the war both directly and indirectly from many perspectives. As seen by the number of views on YouTube, some are much more popular than others.

It is noteworthy that although all the songs are clearly related to the war in Ukraine, the word “war” is never mentioned. This choice is consistent with the Kremlin’s narrative that has long denied the use of the word “war” in favour of the expression “special military operation”. Also, the video clips somehow compensate for the absence of the word with the presence of battle-related scenes in 50 per cent of the selected songs. In addition to military actions, the letters “Z” and “V” are present in three of the videos (in Russian “Z” and“за” mean “for” and “V” means “victory”) as well as other symbols such as the Russian flag, churches and crosses. A family story is the focus of several songs accompanied by suffering, challenges and reunion after separation․ Paying tributes to those who have fallen is present in several songs but in general there is less about loss and more about hope and determination. One song celebrates the camaraderie of soldiers and nations, particularly the relationship between a Russian and a Chechen. The Chechen considers Russia as his motherland and is ready to die for it and for brotherhood. This is not a random choice, as the Chechens who are fighting against Ukraine also need inspiration. Only one time is the word “enemy” used and in two more cases the enemy is “the rest of the world” or “half of the world”. The remaining songs celebrate “mother Russia”, recalling its brilliance and people’s willingness to fight for it until the end. 

One interesting observation is the consistent use of the words “Russia” (Россия) and “homeland” (родина) in 80 per cent of the songs. However, in two songs (“Powers of heaven” and “I will definitely be back”), the words family (семья) or home (дом) are substituted for Russia or motherland. This phenomenon reflects a perception of Russia as a large family within a social-political context, akin to a typical patriarchal society, where the leader of the country assumes the role of the family’s head. In one of Grigory Leps’s songs (which has been selected for this analysis), the mention of homeland is reinforced by the expression “mother homeland” (родина-мать). The strategic use of these words is essential, aiming to influence the subconscious mind of the listeners. By emphasising the connection between the homeland and family/relatives, it serves as an additional reminder of devotion and duty towards the country in times of need. While not overly frequent, this pattern is present in three songs: “Homeland calls a soldier to eliminate the natsists forever” (“Homeland”); “Homeland calls us: don’t let it down” (“Mother homeland”); and “Russia should believe in us. All as one we will fight” (“Soldiers of Russia”).

Religious themes

Another key aspect is related to the presence of religious themes in the songs. Here are several expressions used in the songs: 

“As long as the Lord is with us, the truth is with us” (Shaman, “Let’s stand up”);

“I am Russian, my blood is from my father” (Shaman, “I am Russian”);

“Let the word of God help us” (Ruslan Bogatyrev, “Powers of heaven”);

“Allah is with us, justice exists” (Alvi & Vlad Balu, “Homeland”);

“With faith let us stand up” (Grigory Leps, “Mother homeland”);

“God is with us” (Shaman, “We”);

“We are connected by one sky” (Shaman, “We”);

“I’ll be back with a candle on the altar” (Maksim Fadeev, “I will definitely be back”).

The church and faith have consistently played a pivotal role in Russian society throughout different periods including wartime. Orthodoxy is considered one of the significant elements of the “Russian world” ideology, which as a socio-cultural phenomenon has been based on the fact that the education and development of the Russian world is historically based on the spiritual community of people extending beyond a common language. In this regard, the Russian world aims to synthesise the spiritual root of the community of people professing Orthodoxy both in Russia and beyond its borders. 

The presence of faith-related vocabulary in the songs is an illustration of a deeply ingrained conviction about the connection between God and society. In addition, the intentional use of certain terms may enhance the transmission of specific propagandistic messages: to believe in God, pray and hope for a bright future, etc. Regular incorporation of these expressions serves a dual purpose: fostering unity within society and attempting to engage others who share the Orthodox faith. Notably, the Ukrainian authorities not only seek to erase historical and cultural ties with Russia but have also eliminated the influence of the Russian-led Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This is because Patriarch Kirill openly supports the war in Ukraine.

The emotional components in songs are another aspect that is frequently present. Ninety per cent of the songs analysed include some sort of emotional expression, including such words as “heart”, “love” and “hope” – mainly related to the country and sometimes to family and brotherhood. The sentiments conveyed by these words have the power to move the listeners and elicit a range of emotions, including suffering, crying, resentment and, when combined with other phrases, a sense of national pride and determination to carry on a common struggle.

Patriotism and nationalism

Similarly, patriotic and nationalistic expressions can be found in 80 per cent of the songs. These include such phrases as:

“Let’s stand up for the dead Russian heroes” (Shaman, “Let’s stand up”);

“I am Russian and I am lucky” (Shaman, “I am Russian”);

“I will protect my motherland with honour” (Alvi & Vlad Balu, “Motherland”);

“Protecting the motherland is honour” (Grigory Leps, “Homeland”);

“There is no better country” (Shaman, “My Russia”);

“We are eternal in our blood” (Shaman, “We”).

The distinction between patriotism and nationalism is blurred in these lyrics. This is observed especially in the songs by Shaman, one of the most active artists since the beginning of the war. His songs immediately become viral as soon as they are uploaded. Notably, his most recent song, titled “We”, articulates numerous ideas at once: national pride, exceptionalism, determination, and the notion of being chosen by God.

“We are eternal in our blood,

And my generation,

We are connected by one sky, 

We will never be broken by anyone, 

We do not live on our knees,

We are the truth alone in the whole world, 

Our heart burns with words,

Truth and strength are behind us, 

Our people will proudly survive everything.”

Another song, which gained 50 million views in one year is “I am Russian” performed again by Shaman. The chorus does not need any explanation:

“I am Russian, I go till the end,

I am Russian, my blood is from my father (Author’s note: God),

I am Russian and I am lucky to be so,

I’m Russian, in spite of the whole world I’m Russian.”

The songs often incorporate elements of determination and inspiration, which are frequently linked to victories and the glorious past, such as the “Great Patriotic War” and the belief in the possibility of repeating those achievements. These expressions draw from deeply rooted proverbs in Russian culture, such as “We persist till the end,” “No one can defeat / break us,” “We may endure hunger, but we shall never surrender,” and “We defeated the Nazis.” These narratives find their origins in historical records, creating a sort of unbreakable spirit for Russia and Russians. Here are some more expressions which encapsulate such resilient thinking: 

“I cannot be broken” (Shaman, “I am Russian”);

“I go till the end” (Shaman, “I am Russian”);

“I will not give up” (Shaman, “My fight”);

“No step back” (Shaman, “My fight”);

“Victory and strength” (Oleg Gazmanov, “Soldiers of Russia”);

“Wounds make me stronger” (Shaman, “My fight”).

To fully embody the unwavering image of the unbreakable character, one must also possess the determination and willingness to prioritise love and devotion to your country above your own personal well-being and existence. In fact, these elements can also be found in several songs:

“Until the last breath I will fight for you” (Shaman, “My fight”);

“Protect Russia by all means” (Alvi & Vlad Balu, “Homeland”);

“I will give everything for my Russia to live” (Shaman, “My Russia”);

“I will stand up for you mother Russia” (Grigory Leps, “Mother homeland”).

Duties of man

For centuries religion, the homeland and the family have constituted the three fundamental pillars for social construction in Russian society. It is the same slogan as the one created by Giuseppe Mazzini in 1860 in his The Duties of Man: “Dio, patria, famiglia”, to which the Italian patriot later added “humanity”. Mazzini explains that except for rights, citizens must also have duties towards God, homeland and family. This expression was later used by the fascists, who manipulated the initial meaning of this philosophical approach, erasing the ideas related to rights and making the duties the foundation of nationalistic ideologies. Analysis of the lyrics of these Russian songs evidently shows the existence of a nationalistic ideology focused on serving the homeland.

The idea of devotion to the homeland was typical in the Soviet Union. An ordinary Soviet man, among other characteristics, should be selfless and his life would have belonged to the homeland and/or the leader: “For the Motherland! For Stalin!” This slogan emphasised the importance of defending the Soviet Union and the leadership of Joseph Stalin during the war. Other slogans such as “No Step Back!” and “Courage, Bravery and Victory!” again conveyed the idea of standing firm against the enemy’s advance and never yielding ground. These ideas passed through time and were reinterpreted in these songs nowadays. 

Everything that has been used successfully in the past is still in use now. The popularity of a particular piece spreads according to the same logic: Shaman’s phenomenally popular song “Let’s stand up” was later covered by a number of other singers as a joint effort, and it received nine million views over several months. Russians can be heard chanting Shaman’s “I am Russian” song all throughout the nation. There are even video clips of this phenomenon. The words “Russia is the greatest country in the world” and “I am not going to leave Russia” were used in a flash mob in reaction to people who were fleeing the country right after the start of the war in Ukraine. 

However, what is difficult to measure is the effectiveness of Russian musical propaganda. The only information available is found in discussions and comments on YouTube and apparently positive feedback predominates. At the same time, it is also known that Aleksandr Gudkov, a comedian, developed a parody of Shaman’s “I am Russian” in August 2022, which also received great feedback. The song is titled “Я узкий”, literally translated as “I am narrow.” This is a play on words in Russian: Я Русский (“Ya Russkiy”) versus Я узкий (“Ya uzkiy”).

Even at the level of the State Duma and in many TV and radio outlets, this parody was widely criticised. Yet the facts are still there: Shaman, who is the leading propaganda artist today in Russia and considered “the favourite of Putin”, has received a humiliating parody, which has eight million views and 83,111 comments (the nationalities of the commentators are not known). The majority of these commentators support the parody’s creator and ask for an end to the war. 

Tatevik Hovhannisyan is a political scientist specialising in political communications and civil society affairs. She is a graduate of the College of Europe in Natolin and Yerevan State University. Her areas of interest include EU-Neighbourhood relations, civic participation in developing countries and advocacy.

Music, Russia, Russia's war against Ukraine, Russian propaganda