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The Kremlin’s crackdown on celebrities who refuse to toe the line on the war against Ukraine has ramped up with international meddling against a famous rock band.
Members of the Russian-Belarusian band Bi-2 were detained in Thailand last week, reportedly on the orders of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, after Thai authorities claimed one of their heavily promoted concerts in Phuket was unauthorized. (The band, which has played many shows in Thailand over the years, disputed the allegation.) They were due to be deported to Israel and were on their way to escaping the clutches of the Kremlin until “high-ranking diplomats from the Russian consulate” stepped in Tuesday and their departure to Israel was canceled at the last minute, the band said.
Despite having already purchased plane tickets to leave, the group now remains locked up in a detention center in a cell with 80 other people.