Police and special forces carried out a large-scale raid on a closed music festival in a forest in the Vyborg district of Leningrad Oblast, near the border with Finland, cordoning off the entire wooded area, according to Baza and Fontanka.
State agencies TASS and RIA Novosti, citing law enforcement, reported the detention of about 100 participants and organizers. A police source told TASS the festival was "left-wing radical."
The raid was prompted by "songs in support of Ukraine," "calls for regime change in Russia," and "mass drug use," according to the same agencies. Posters with Ukrainian symbols were reportedly hung near a makeshift stage. Participants are also suspected of illegally flying quadcopters for filming; the drones were confiscated.
According to law enforcement, the festival has been held annually since 2023. Organizers kept the location secret, sending coordinates to participants about a day before the start. Baza claims the festival was previously called "KNIFE," an acronym for "Unhealthy Lifestyle."
Footage published by Baza and other channels close to law enforcement shows participants, mostly young people, lying face down with hands behind their heads. DW reports that some detainees were forced to speak on camera about drug use.
Authorities are deciding whether to open a criminal case; possible charges have not been specified. As of morning, the Interior Ministry and the Investigative Committee had not publicly reported on the raid's results.