‘Soviet Sinatra’ dies at 80

– Popular Russian singer and pro-Kremlin lawmaker Iosif Kobzon – sometimes called “the Soviet Frank Sinatra” – died aged 80 yesterday.

Born in Ukraine’s Donbass region to Jewish parents, Kobzon began his career in 1959 and was most popular in the 70s and 80s.

No major concert on Russian national holidays would take place without Kobzon. – AFP

Moscow