Russia designates Stoptime street band's singer and guitarist as foreign agents
Russia's Justice Ministry has added Diana Loginova and Alexander Orlov, the vocalist and guitarist of the St. Petersburg street band Stoptime, to its foreign agents registry. The band became known for covering songs by musicians already branded as foreign agents.
Russia's Justice Ministry has added Diana "Naoko" Loginova, the vocalist of the St. Petersburg street band Stoptime, to its registry of "foreign agents," the official list of people and organizations the state treats as foreign-influenced. Her fiancé, Stoptime guitarist Alexander Orlov, was added as well.
The registry also gained another entry: the Malinovy Klin Nezavisimaya Kuban movement, which can be rendered as "Raspberry Wedge Independent Kuban." The source gives no further details about it.
Who Stoptime are
Stoptime is a street band from St. Petersburg. It became known for performing covers of songs by musicians whom Russian authorities have themselves designated as "foreign agents."
Detention and departure from Russia
In the fall of 2025, band members were detained and subjected to a series of "revolving-door arrests," meaning repeated consecutive detentions. The allegation was that they had organized a mass gathering in a public place. In total, the musicians spent more than a month in a detention center.
After their release, Loginova and Orlov left Russia. While living abroad, they recorded the band's first album.
