A pro-Kremlin Russian singer, Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman, has ignited controversy by using AI-generated deepfakes of exiled Russian public figures in his latest music video for 'Mother Russia.' The video features photographic portraits of comedians, rappers, journalists, and businessmen who left Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, including Maxim Galkin, Noize MC, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
In the video, Shaman pins their photos to a board, and AI deepfakes of these individuals appear to sing together as a choir. Shaman stated on VK, Russia's largest social network, that while these 'foreign agents' perform for money against Russia, in his video they sing for Russia free of charge.
Reactions have varied: some targeted individuals are upset, while others see it as free publicity. Legal experts argue that lawsuits could be brought under Russian law for unauthorized use of images, but skepticism remains high due to Shaman's close ties to the government. As of now, no official lawsuit has been filed. Shaman, who has been sanctioned by the EU, Canada, and Australia, had his Western distribution channels terminated in 2024.