Two lawmakers in the Murmansk city council representing the ruling United Russia party feature in a video depicting bearded drag-queen "Eurovision" winner Conchita Wurst in which the candidates appear to announce their "anti-gay" platform ahead of the city's municipal elections.
The six-second video, posted online by gay-rights website GayRussia.eu, first depicts several cartoon figures resembling Wurst gathering at a sign reading: "There will be a parade!" The video then shows the two candidates, Oleg Guz and Almaz Gismeyev, shaking hands while an off-screen voice announces their names and the slogan: "Against loudmouths and gays."
Both Gismeyev and Guz are currently members of the Murmansk city council running for re-election in municipal elections set for Sept. 14.
It was unclear where the video was being broadcast. GayRussia.eu said the candidates had released the video themselves, though this information could not be immediately verified.
Wurst was widely lambasted by conservative politicians after winning the popular "Eurovision Song Contest" in May. Some politicians said Wurst's victory represented the degradation of Europe and called for Russia to shun "Eurovision" in the future.
Last year Russia passed a controversial law banning the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relations" among minors in a move widely seen as discrimination against the gay community.