Pussy Riot's Veronika Nikulshina detained in Moscow ahead of Victory Day

Veronika Nikulshina, a member of the activist collective Pussy Riot, was arrested by Russian police in Moscow on May 7. Four officers detained her near her apartment, with footage of the incident circulating on Telegram. According to her lawyer, she was held on suspicion of disobeying police orders. News agency Interfax reported the detention was intended to prevent potential provocations during rehearsals for a military parade ahead of Victory Day on May 9. On Twitter, Pussy Riot stated Nikulshina received a five-day arrest, claiming she was merely leaving her apartment when apprehended. The group linked the action to President Vladimir Putin's 'traditional values' of detaining members before the national holiday. Nikulshina previously participated in a 2018 anti-Kremlin protest by storming the World Cup final in Moscow. Her arrest follows a week-long hunger strike by LGBTQ+ artist and activist Yulia Tsvetkova, who faces up to six years in prison under Article 242 of Russia's Criminal Code for allegedly creating and distributing pornographic materials through her drawings. A recent report by Aliide Naylor for ArtReview examines Putin's campaign against feminist artists.