Former Staind frontman promotes pro-Putin rhetoric, COVID conspiracy theories

Former Staind frontman-turned-solo country artist Aaron Lewis promoted pro-Putin rhetoric and COVID-19 conspiracy theories during an Ohio performance last week, the Los Angeles Times reported.

"All I'm going to say is this: question everything. Everything that they're telling you right now is a lie," he said before launching into a rant about what he claims is government corruption.

The "It's Been Awhile" singer made several anti-vaccine and anti-mask statements, claiming the government was pushing "poison" into the bodies of American citizens.

Research has shown that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in reducing risks of hospitalization and death; a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January found that with a booster dose vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization was 97 percent among immunocompromised adults.

Lewis also suggested politicians and wealthy "snake-oil salesman" are only supporting Ukraine amid the Russian invasion to protect their own interests, which he claimed include money laundering.

"You know, as f----- up as it sounds, maybe we should listen to what Vladimir Putin is saying," he said. "Maybe, just maybe, when Klaus Schwab and George Soros and every other ... earth-destroying motherf------ all jump on the same bandwagon, maybe, just maybe we should f------ take a good look at that. Why are they trying to protect Ukraine so much? What do they all have to lose?"

Lewis went as far as to suggest that so-called crisis actors are contributing to false information about civilian casualties in Ukraine.

Lewis's claims come nearly a month into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has already resulted in more than 900 civilian deaths, including those of 64 children, the United Nations reported. The real death toll is likely "considerably higher," the U.N.'s human rights office said in an update on Saturday.

Since the invasion began, more than 3.3 million people have fled Ukraine as refugees, according to figures from the U.N. refugee agency.