Oscars 2024: Best Looks & Celebrity News – Pugacheva & Galkin Updates
Alla Pugacheva, one of Russia’s most celebrated singers, publicly criticized supporters of the war in Ukraine on Tuesday, calling them “slaves” and “lackeys,” according to reports from The Moscow Times. The comments represent a further escalation in Pugacheva’s opposition to the Kremlin’s military actions and follow a recent designation of her husband, comedian Maxim Galkin, as a “foreign agent” by Russian authorities.
Pugacheva’s initial condemnation of the invasion came in September 2022, when she called on Russian authorities to declare her a “foreign agent” in solidarity with Galkin after he publicly criticized the attack on Ukraine, as reported by the BBC. She stated at the time that the “illusory aims” in Ukraine were turning Russia into a “pariah” and making life difficult for its citizens. Galkin and Pugacheva subsequently left Russia for Israel in late March 2022, returning briefly this summer before Pugacheva reportedly went back to Israel in September 2022, according to The Moscow Times.
The “foreign agent” label, applied to media organizations, campaign groups, and individuals critical of Kremlin policies, carries a significant stigma and subjects those designated to increased scrutiny. Pugacheva’s willingness to align herself with her husband, despite the potential repercussions, signaled a rare act of defiance from a major cultural figure.
Her latest remarks, posted on Instagram, were a direct response to criticism following her earlier statements. “How lucky am I to be hated by the people I’ve always hated,” she wrote, adding that those who support President Vladimir Putin’s invasion were “lackeys” who had “turned into slaves.”
The singer’s outspokenness has divided her fanbase and prompted a complaint to police in the Moscow region alleging a violation of laws against disseminating “fake news” about the military, as reported by The Moscow Times. Russian authorities have used these laws to suppress dissent and criticism of the war.
Newsweek reported in September 2022 that Pugacheva and Galkin had fled Russia with their nine-year-old children. The Pet Shop Boys acknowledged Pugacheva’s exile on Facebook in September 2025, noting her recent statements. As of today, there has been no official response from the Kremlin to Pugacheva’s latest comments.