Two wanted Pussy Riot members flee Russia to recruit foreign feminists

Two members of the controversial band Pussy Riot who are wanted by the authorities over their notorious “Punk Prayer” stunt have managed to slip from Russia and are planning to recruit more feminists for their future performances.

“We want to disappoint Kremlin bastards: 2 women have left the country because of the dangers, but there are at least 12 members of Pussy Riot who remain in Russia,” said a statement on the group’s Twitter account.Another tweet reported that those fleeing the country are to recruit foreign feminists for staging new events.The messages did not disclose the names of the two who left the country, nor did it specify to what country they traveled.Pussy Riot lawyer Nikolay Polozov could not confirm the information, saying he knows nothing about the matter.A Moscow court recently sentenced three members of Pussy Riot to two years in prison on charges of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for their performance in the Christ the Savior Cathedral.Five women took part in the so-called “Punk Prayer,” but the police investigation only revealed the identities of three members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Ekaterina Samutsevich.The Pussy Riot trial sparked controversy in Russia and abroad. Many public figures, including Madonna and Bjork, sent messages of support to the convicted Pussy Riot girls. The detained members also received the strong support from the general public, with many demonstrations staged throughout the world.The feminist punk band was founded in 2011. In their blog, the activists stress that the band is not tied to particular persons and they have no leaders, assuring that they will be happy to see new members.Meanwhile the band has already gained some followers abroad. Three German Pussy Riot copycats face up to three years in prison for staging a similar performance in a Catholic cathedral in the city of Cologne.