Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Pop Icon Yuri Shatunov Dies Aged 48

Singer Yuri Shatunov. Aleksandr Osipov (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Pop singer Yuri Shatunov, who was wildly popular in the 1980s and 1990s, died Thursday at the age of 48.

"Last night Yuri's heart stopped in an ambulance," said Shatunov’s manager, Arkady Kudryashov, the state-run news agency TASS reported

Shatunov was perhaps best known as the frontman of band Laskovy Mai (‘Gentle May’), which filled stadiums all over the Soviet Union during sold-out tours at the end of the 1980s.

Some of their most successful songs include the nostalgia infused Belye Rozi (‘White Roses’) and Sedaya Noch (‘Grey Night’).

Born in 1973, Shatunov spent much of his childhood in an orphanage and first began performing with Laskovy Mai aged 13 alongside other orphanage residents. 

When Laskovy Mai split in 1992, Shatunov launched a solo career, but never achieved the same heights of success. 

He leaves behind a wife, Svetlana, and two children.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more