Iosif Kobzon

Iosif Kobzon is a Soviet and Russian singer.

Brief biography

Iosif Kobzon was born on September 11, 1937, in Donetschina, in the town of Chasov Yar.

After World War II, the Kobzon family moved to Dnepropetrovsk.

While serving in the army of the USSR, Joseph Kobzon sang in a military ensemble.

Kobzon planned to receive higher education at the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, but eventually dropped out of the academy and traveled to Siberia to give concerts.

Kobzon made his debut on Soviet television in 1962, performing one of his songs on the New Year's "Blue Light".

Iosif Kobzon began a full-fledged solo career only in the 1970s.

During the war in Afghanistan, Iosif Kobzon traveled with concerts to the Soviet military contingent.

In 1984, Iosif Kobzon began teaching vocals at the Russian Academy of Music.

Kobzongave concerts in Ukraine, immediately after the Chernobyl accident, performing for the liquidators of the disaster in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

In 1993, Joseph Kobzon decided to start his political career. He tried to get into the State Duma on the lists of the party "Civil Union", but the political force crushingly lost the election.

In 1995, Kobzon repeated the attempt, this time from the political bloc "My Fatherland" - which was also defeated in the parliamentary elections.

He became a deputy for the first time in 1997. In 2007 Iosif Kobzon became a member of the pro-governmental Russian party "United Russia".

Iosif Kobzon ended his solo career on his 65th birthday.

In 2018, on August 30th, Iosif Kobzon died. Several songs and documentaries were dedicated to Kobzon's death, receiving a lot of attention from Russian television and press. Iosif Kobzon's funeral was held in Moscow, at the Vostryakovsky cemetery.

Kobzon against Ukraine

Iosif Kobzon vehemently supported the annexation of Crimea by Russia. Illegally visited the territory of the annexed peninsula. Repeatedly spoke out against the Revolution of Dignity and approved the invasion of Russian troops in Donbass. He personally traveled to the occupied territories of Donbass with concerts to provide information cover for the infamous so-called "humanitarian convoys".

Sanctions against Joseph Kobzon

• In the 2000s, Kobzon was banned from entering Israel, the United States and a number of other European countries for participation in organized crime, friendship and contacts with criminal authorities.

• In 2014, Iosif Kobzon was placed by the SBU on the list of persons not allowed to enter Ukraine .

• In 2014, Iosif Kobzon was banned from entering Latvia for violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

• In 2015, Iosif Kobzon was included in the list of persons against whom the European Union imposed economic and diplomatic sanctions.