Putin vs Gays: Why Has Russia Launched a Full-Scale Crackdown on LGBTQ People?

At 00:00, the video begins with a discussion about what it means to be gay in Russia. At 05:12, the speaker explains how the Crisis Group SK SOS emerged. At 06:20, the death of Andrey Kotov, an organizer of tours for LGBT representatives, in prison is described. At 08:27, a sad story of a Siberian boy named August is told. At 12:09, August’s upbringing by a Chechen father in a radical cell is described. At 14:59, life after the father’s arrest and attacks by relatives is shown. At 17:27, a confession and interrogation in a police department without a camera is recounted. At 23:06, the “cleansing of blood” in Chechnya is discussed. At 26:10, the sending of LGBT people to the front, threats and extortion is covered. At 29:21, the story of Sergey, his childhood trauma and dizzying career is told. At 32:09, the first police visit and departure from Russia is described. At 34:07, Sergey goes from IT specialist to refugee and shares his life in exile. At 36:48, the question of why refugees are sent on cruise ships is raised. At 40:15, the dismissal due to orientation and the story of Leo from Petrozavodsk is presented. At 48:09, bullying, neighbor attacks and departure to the Netherlands are recounted. At 53:23, the arrest and criminal case of waiter Sergey from St. Petersburg is described. At 01:01:54, deportation and life in Finland are discussed. At 01:05:11, the experience of being gay in a remote Finnish town is explored. At 01:06:54, Leo’s rejection after three years of waiting for asylum is recounted. At 01:10:33, the question of whether Russia will get worse is posed. At 01:11:37, the free Russia of the past is reflected upon. At 01:17:14, the forced employment of gays in security forces is examined. At 01:21:05, the current living conditions of the film’s heroes are shown.