Egor Letov (Born Igor Fyodorovich Letov, September 10, 1964 – February 19, 2008) was a Soviet and Russian musician, poet, and conceptual artist, often called the "godfather of Russian punk." He founded the influential post-punk band Grazhdanskaya Oborona (Civil Defense) in 1984 and led other projects like Egor i Opizdenevshie and the avant-garde collective Kommunizm.
His raw, rebellious music and surreal themes explored chaos, freedom, and alienation, often clashing with Soviet authorities—leading to his 1985 internment in a mental hospital by the KGB.
Letov collaborated with Siberian underground artists like Yanka Dyagileva and produced experimental works regarding blending punk, psychedelia, and absurdism.
