Canceled concerts in Russia and mocks Russians on social media: where is Leva Bi-2 now, after condemning the war?
Yegor Bortnik, better known as Leva Bi-2, is one of the Russian musicians who bravely expressed his stance on the war in Ukraine, in contrast to Roman Bilyk. Despite pressure from authorities and the threat of a performance ban in Russia, he and his band "Bi-2" openly distanced themselves from Kremlin propaganda.
Although the band has not made direct statements regarding Ukraine, its members have refused to support the aggression and are secretly funding the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "Telegraph" sought to find out what the frontman of the Russian band "Bi-2," Yegor Bortnik, says about the war and where he is now.
What is known about Yegor Bortnik
Yegor Bortnik was born on September 2, 1972, in Minsk, Belarus. He began his musical career in 1985 when he, along with Alexander Uman (Shura Bi-2), founded a group that later became known as "Bi-2." Initially, the collective was named "Brothers in Arms" and "The Shore of Truth," but the final name "Bi-2" was established in 1988.
1 Throughout their career, the band "Bi-2" has undergone numerous changes in lineup and style, yet Leva and Shura remain the constant leaders. The collective gained widespread recognition in the 2000s. Their songs frequently topped music charts, and the band received prestigious awards such as the "Golden Gramophone" and the "World Music Awards."
2 What Leva Bi-2 says about the war
In 2022, following the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the band "Bi-2" openly spoke out against the war. This led to the cancellation of their concerts in Russia and persecution by the authorities.
In April 2022, the band "Bi-2" refused to perform in Omsk due to a conflict with the venue's administration. The musicians covered a banner reading "Z for the President" with a black cloth, demonstrating their disagreement with the propaganda slogans. After attempts by the administration to remove the covering, the band decided to cancel the concert. In response to their stance, other scheduled performances in Penza, Astrakhan, Ufa, and Kazan were also canceled. Additionally, in St. Petersburg, a performance by "Quartet I," which included musicians from "Bi-2," was postponed indefinitely.
3 In October 2024, Leva posted a photo featuring a mountain of skulls in Red Square, Moscow. It was likely created using AI. In the post, the singer added hashtags #putinkiller #putincriminal.
4 In December 2024, Bortnik congratulated Russians on the upcoming New Year. This time, he shared a photo of a Christmas tree made of weapons, helmets, and a tank against the backdrop of Red Square in Moscow. The ground was covered with wreaths and gravestones.
5 Funding the Armed Forces of Ukraine
According to Bortnik, he has donated over 100,000 euros to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The musician noted that he purchased two ambulances and one large bus. Leva Bi-2 stated that if he had more money, he would buy PC3O HIMARS shells for the Ukrainian army. Yegor added that the band has hardly earned any money over the past two years, so these funds are practically "taken from the heart."
Where is Yegor Bortnik now
Currently, Leva Bi-2 resides in Israel. The musician continues his creative work outside of Russia. In January 2024, the band members were detained in Thailand after a concert. They were placed in a police station cell due to allegedly improperly processed documents. The artists were fined, and the immigration service was supposed to deport them back to Russia, which they had left after the start of the full-scale invasion.
Previously, "Telegraph" reported on what the grave of the frontman of the band "King and Jester" Mikhail Gorshenov looks like. He claimed that all Ukrainians are "Russians," even though he released a song in Ukrainian.