Spotify has removed the music and profiles of several Russian artists sanctioned by the European Union (EU) for their support of the invasion of Ukraine. According to The Moscow Times , among the affected musicians are the band Lyube and singers Grigory Leps , Oleg Gazmanov , Polina Gagarina, and Shaman .

In a statement, the music platform said they are complying with their own rules. "The platform's rules clearly state that we must take action when we identify content that explicitly violates our content policies or local laws. After review, these artists have reached the threshold for removal."

In 2022, Spotify even suspended its service in Russia, closing its offices in response to the start of the war. In the statement, they addressed this issue: “Spotify continues to believe that it is extremely important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide reliable and independent news and information from the region.”

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A journalism graduate with experience covering concerts and writing cultural reviews, she has been collaborating with Wikimetal since February 2024. With a strong interest in the national underground and independent music scene, she finds in cultural journalism a chance to promote these artists who are often overlooked by traditional media.