Nikolay Rastorguyev

{{Short description|Russian singer and politician (born 1957)}}

{{BLP sources|date=January 2013}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nikolay Rastorguyev

| honorific_suffix =

| image = Nikolay Rastorguyev (2016-10-01) 02.jpg

| caption = Nikolay Rastorguyev in 2016

| image_size =

| birthname = Nikolay Vyacheslavovich Rastorguyev

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|2|21}}

| birth_place = Lytkarino, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|deputy of the Russian State Duma}}

| years_active = 1978–present

| spouse =

| website =

| title = People's Artist of Russia (2002)

| awards = {{plainlist |

• 25px Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" (4th class)
• 25px Order of Honour

}}

| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes

| genre = {{hlist|Folk rock|Russian chanson|soft rock|folk|hard rock}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|acoustic|electric guitar}}

| current_member_of = Lyube

}}

}}

Nikolay Vyacheslavovich Rastorguyev ({{langx|ru|Николай Вячеславович Расторгуев}}; born February 21, 1957, Lytkarino, Moscow Oblast, Soviet Union) is the lead singer of the Russian group Lyube.

File:Rastorguev.jpg.]]

In 1978, Nikolay was the soloist for the band (VIA in Russian) "Шестеро молодых," but his first note came during his 1980-1985 stint in the band "Лейся, песня (in English, Lyeysya, Pyesnya)." After Leysya Pesnya split, Rastorguyev spent a year in the band Rondo before joining newly formed Lyube. Since then, Nikolay remains the band's only permanent member.

In 1997, Rastorguyev was given the honorary title People's Artist of Russia. On the occasion of his 50th birthday in 2007, Russian President Vladimir Putin awarded Nikolay with the state order "For Merit to the Fatherland," Fourth class. Rastorguyev became a member of the Russian Duma in 2010 as a representative of the ruling party United Russia.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In March 2014, Rastorguyev signed a letter supporting Russian occupation of Ukrainian Crimea.{{cite news | url = http://mkrf.ru/press-tsentr/novosti/ministerstvo/deyateli-kultury-rossii-v-podderzhku-pozitsii-prezidenta-po-ukraine-i-krymu | title = Culture activists of Russia in support of the position of the President on Russia's military intervention in Ukraine and Crimea | accessdate = 17 April 2014 | publisher = Russian Ministry of Culture | language = ru | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20140311194202/http://mkrf.ru/press-tsentr/novosti/ministerstvo/deyateli-kultury-rossii-v-podderzhku-pozitsii-prezidenta-po-ukraine-i-krymu | archivedate = March 11, 2014 | df = mdy-all }} For "statements contradicted the interests of our national security" he was then banned from entering Ukraine.[http://www.unian.info/society/1608241-sbu-issues-entry-ban-against-140-russian-artists.html SBU issues entry ban against 140 Russian artists], UNIAN (5 November 2016)
[http://tass.com/world/910576 Ukraine’s State Security Service bans 140 Russian cultural figures from entering country], TASS news agency (5 November 2016) In April and May 2022, Rastorguyev participated in a series of concerts organized in order to support the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{cite news |title=Гастроли патриотов. Как кремлевские эксперты и шоу-бизнес зарабатывают на концертах "Za Россию" |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-61401033 |work=BBC |date=11 May 2022 |language=ru}} He is subject to sanctions imposed on him by the EU for his role in so-called "the Kremlin's disinformation and information manipulation ecosystem".{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65347833|title=Ukraine war: Russian artists back Putin or face censorship|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en|date=23 April 2023|access-date=23 April 2023}}