Kremlin-backed artist uses AI deepfakes and stirs controversy - Euronews.com

In June 2026, Russian singer Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman, released a music video for his song 'Mother Russia' that featured AI-generated deepfakes of several prominent Russian public figures who departed the country following the invasion of Ukraine. The video depicts these individuals singing as a choir, sparking a broader debate regarding the ethics and legality of utilizing artificial intelligence to replicate the likenesses of others without explicit consent.

What happened

The video features AI-synthesized portraits of individuals designated as "foreign agents" by Russian authorities, including Maxim Galkin, Noize MC, Morgenshtern, Yury Dud, Oleg Tinkov, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and Ekaterina Schulmann. In the production, Shaman pins photographs of these individuals to a board, at which point the AI-generated deepfakes begin singing together. Although the video includes a disclaimer stating that AI-generated content was used, the unauthorized use of these figures has drawn varied reactions. Some of the featured individuals expressed frustration over the use of their images, while others viewed the inclusion as publicity.

Shaman defended the project in a social media post on VK, claiming that while these individuals supposedly perform against Russia for money, they "sing for Russia free of charge" in his video. The incident has prompted discussions among legal experts about whether the affected public figures could pursue litigation under Russian law for the unauthorized use of their images. While some experts suggest legal action is possible, commentators remain skeptical of potential success due to Shaman's close alignment with the Russian government. As of June 8, 2026, no formal lawsuits have been filed against the artist regarding the content.