Kanye West was mobbed by fans in Russia as he jetted in for a surprise visit to Moscow.
The American rapper, 47, is thought to be in the country to celebrate the 40th birthday of Russian fashion designer Gosha Rubchinskiy, and not for a concert.
Kanye hired the post-Soviet fashion poster boy as his Yeezy brand’s creative director in December 2023 in which Rubchinskiy was described as ‘legendary’.
He announced his arrival to the city with a message on state-monitored website VKontakte – Russia’s answer to Facebook – in which he wrote in Russian: ‘Hello, Moscow.’
Kanye has previously said he is ‘pro-Putin’ and once called himself a ‘Young Putin’ during an interview on the Drink Champs podcast.
Footage allegedly showed him in the Moscow subway, while other videos allegedly showed him at a five star hotel close to the Kremlin, following a reported arrival by private plane.
Kanye reportedly saw the Kremlin and Red Square from a viewing platform on the roof of GUM department store.
It was later reported that Kanye was staying in the £10,150 a night presidential suite of the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, which has an astonishing view of St Basil’s Cathedral.
The rapper is reportedly with his wife Bianca Censori, 29, on the trip to Moscow, although she was not seen on walkabouts, according to Russian media. This comes after the couple was spotted in Paris and Tokyo together this month.
The Moskvichka showbiz outlet claimed the reason Kanye West’s visit to Moscow was to mark the 40th birthday of Russian designer Gosha Rubchinsky (pictured with Kanye), and not for a concert
Russian media claims that Kanye West has arrived in Moscow. He is allegedly pictured above
Russian media claims that Kanye West has arrived in Moscow. He is allegedly pictured above
Footage allegedly showed Kanye West in the Moscow subway, a grab of which can be seen above
Footage allegedly showed Kanye West in the Moscow subway, a grab of which can be seen above
The rapper is reportedly with his wife Bianca Censori, 29, on the trip to Moscow, although she was not seen on walkabouts, according to Russian media
The rapper is reportedly with his wife Bianca Censori, 29, on the trip to Moscow, although she was not seen on walkabouts, according to Russian media
Fans wait for Kanye West at the Four Seasons Hotel in the centre of Moscow where it is thought the American rapper is staying
Fans wait for Kanye West at the Four Seasons Hotel in the centre of Moscow where it is thought the American rapper is staying
Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori brushed off concerns about her risqué dress sense around the rapper’s children as she headed out for a shopping trip in Tokyo on Thursday
Kanye West’s wife Bianca Censori brushed off concerns about her risqué dress sense around the rapper’s children as she headed out for a shopping trip in Tokyo on Thursday
Kanye West and Bianca Censori attends the Prototypes Menswear Spring/Summer 2025 show on June 19
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Prominent producer Yana Rudkovskaya was among those claiming West had touched down in the Russia: ‘Kanye West is already in Moscow! This is super news!
‘Staying in the very heart of the capital! Fingers crossed for the show at Luzhniki! [stadium].’
Earlier she had claimed the American star would appear in Moscow for a concert in autumn.
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‘I am involved in this,’ she boasted, yet there has been no official confirmation – and there were denials of any immediate performance.
Putin-controlled state media outlet RIA Novosti claims West is in Moscow, as does the war channel Zvezda, which is considered a mouthpiece for the Russian defence ministry.
Luzhniki stadium denied Kayne West would give an imminent concert.
One of West’s representatives has previously denied that the rapper would come to Russia to make the country his ‘second home’ as claimed by Russian media in 2022.
West’s representative Pierre Rougier told Rolling Stone that these claims were ‘entirely fabricated’.
If confirmed as true, West’s presence in Moscow would be seen by many as a boost for the Putin regime.
But one close Putin backer – unofficial moral guardian Ekaterina Mizulina, 39 – insisted in May that the star should not be welcomed in Russia.
‘We don’t need any Kanye West with his naked woman,’ she said. ‘We have enough of our own ‘naked’ parties.’
But other Putin loyalists believe it would be a triumph to have the prominent singer eventually performing in Russia.
It was later reported that Kanye West was staying in the £10,150 a night presidential suite of the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, which has an astonishing view of St Basil’s Cathedral
It was later reported that Kanye West was staying in the £10,150 a night presidential suite of the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow, which has an astonishing view of St Basil’s Cathedral
The Australian architect¿turned¿wife and muse of Kanye West was spotted out in an ultra-revealing outfit in which she eschewed a top in favour of bandage-like halter suspenders that only covered her nipples while out in Paris this month
The Australian architect–turned–wife and muse of Kanye West was spotted out in an ultra-revealing outfit in which she eschewed a top in favour of bandage-like halter suspenders that only covered her nipples while out in Paris this month
Other videos allegedly showed him at a five star hotel close to the Kremlin, following a reported arrival by private plane
Other videos allegedly showed him at a five star hotel close to the Kremlin, following a reported arrival by private plane
Putin-backing TV presenter and media manager Tina Kandelaki, 48, claimed in May: ‘Kanye will soon be with us… Our Russian brands are already sewing swimsuits with a fleece for the wife of the outrageous musician.’
She claimed to rival broadcasters her TV channel already had rights for a Kanye West tour to Moscow.
‘I want to warn you that all rights to a possible broadcast of the concert are already in the hands of TNT, do not try to lure our overseas comrade to your camp,’ she said.
Mizulina, a London-educated art historian, heads the Safe Internet League, created to censor the web and ‘fight prohibited content’ in Russia.
She is daughter of a fanatically pro-Putin and anti-Ukrainian senator, and was reported last month to have ‘become close’ to Putin with rumours of a romantic link. She is at the forefront of his drive to return Russia to traditional values.
