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The censorship of music videos in Russia has evolved from Soviet-era "music on the bone" to modern-day digital blacklisting under sweeping laws targeting "extremism," "drug propaganda," and "LGBT propaganda" . As of 2026, the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor
LGBTQ+ themed or sexually explicit videos Russia’s “gay propaganda” law (enacted in 2013) has been used to restrict content depicting LGBTQ+ themes as “promoting non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors. As a result, music videos that feature queer relationships, symbolism, or advocacy have faced removal from mainstream TV rotation and hesitancy from advertisers and platforms operating in Russia. Even videos without explicit sexual content but with queer-positive narratives risked limited distribution. banned uncensored uncut music videos russia
Traditional censorship focuses on anything deemed to promote substance abuse or "Western liberal values" that contradict Russia's official traditionalist stance. The Platform Shift The censorship of music videos in Russia has