TL;DR
Russian pop star Yegor Kreed apologized after wearing a shirt based on the poster for the Soviet war film “Come and See” in a music video. He said he had not seen the film and intended no historical or political message; the video blurred the image, the store removed the shirt, and Mosfilm said it was consulting lawyers.
Russian pop star Yegor Kreed apologized after appearing in a music video wearing a shirt based on the poster for “Come and See,” a Soviet film about Nazi atrocities in Belarus. Kreed said he had not known the design referred to the film and intended no political or historical message; the controversy has prompted complaints to Russian authorities and a statement from the film’s studio.
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The shirt appeared in Kreed’s new video for “Mily ublyudok” (“Sweet Bastard”). Its design was based on the official poster for Elem Klimov’s 1985 film, which depicts the face of its young central character. The shirt altered that image with tattoos, assault rifles on the sleeves and ammunition belts across the back.
Moscow concept store KM20 made the shirt with American brand Marking Distance and listed it online for 38,600 rubles, according to Meduza. After social media users identified the reference, pro-government commentators criticized Kreed, accusing him of disrespecting those killed in the Great Patriotic War. Activists in Yekaterinburg filed complaints with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee, seeking prosecution under a law against insulting the memory of victims of the genocide of the Soviet people.
Kreed said he had never seen or heard of “Come and See” and believed the garment was simply a designer item available for purchase. He said the war’s memory and the suffering people endured were sacred to him. The image was later blurred in the official video, and the shirt was removed from KM20’s online store. The store also deleted its social media post about the video.
A War Film Becomes a Public Dispute
The response shows how imagery associated with the Soviet Union’s wartime losses can become a source of public and political controversy in Russia. The criticism moved beyond social media: activists submitted formal complaints asking state investigative bodies to consider legal action against the singer.
The case also has a separate rights dimension. Mosfilm said it did not authorize KM20 to use the poster and called its alteration unacceptable. The studio said it was consulting lawyers, leaving open whether the dispute will lead to legal action over the design as well as the public criticism of Kreed.
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The Film Behind the Design
Released in 1985 and directed by Elem Klimov, “Come and See” was made for the 40th anniversary of the Soviet victory in World War II. It follows a boy whose life is transformed after he witnesses Nazi forces burn residents of a Belarusian village during a punitive operation.
The film’s subject and imagery give the shirt design its particular charge. Meduza reports that readers of the magazine Sovetsky Ekran voted “Come and See” the best film of 1986, and that many viewers regard it as one of the hardest films about the Great Patriotic War to watch. The shirt retained the poster’s central face but added weapons and other imagery.
““I had never seen or heard of the film.””
— Yegor Kreed
Legal Questions Remain Open
It is not clear whether the complaints filed by activists will lead to an investigation, charges or any other official action. The source report does not identify a response from the Prosecutor General’s Office or the Investigative Committee.
Mosfilm’s legal consultations are ongoing, but the studio has not announced whether it will pursue a claim. KM20’s owners have not commented publicly on the controversy, and the available reporting does not establish who created the altered artwork or what permissions, if any, were obtained from other rights holders.
Possible Legal and Studio Responses
The immediate public changes have already taken place: the video image was blurred, KM20 removed the shirt from its online store, and the store deleted its post about Kreed’s video. The next developments may come from the authorities reviewing the activists’ complaints or from Mosfilm after it completes its legal consultations.
No decision or timetable for either process was reported. Kreed has apologized, but it remains unclear whether the criticism will prompt further official action or whether Mosfilm will take steps over the poster’s use.
Key Questions
Why did Yegor Kreed apologize?
He apologized after wearing a shirt based on the poster for “Come and See,” a Soviet film about Nazi atrocities. Critics said the altered image disrespected the memory of wartime victims.
What did Kreed say about the shirt?
Kreed said he had never seen or heard of the film and did not recognize the image. He described the shirt as a designer item and said he intended no political or historical message.
What happened to the shirt and the video?
The image was blurred in Kreed’s official video, and KM20 removed the shirt from its online store. The store also deleted its social media post about the video.
Has Mosfilm taken legal action?
Not according to the report. Mosfilm said it had not authorized use of the poster and was consulting lawyers. It has not announced whether it will pursue a legal claim.
Have Russian authorities acted on the complaints?
Activists filed complaints with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Investigative Committee, but no official response or decision was reported.
Source: rss
