Will Russia Halt Elton John's Concerts This Friday?

Elton John's mini-tour of Russia may be on the ropes, as his performance would likely be a violation of the nation's law banning so-called LGBT propaganda.

John is scheduled to play Friday in Crocus City Hall in Moscow, and then Tatneft Arena in Kazan. Though he has been performing in Russia for decades, the new law may prevent this series of concerts from taking place, The Australian reports.

John said he has chosen to continue to perform in Russia to show his solidarity with the nation's LGBT people.

"I've got to go," John said earlier this year. "And I've got to think about what I'm going to say very carefully. There's two avenues of thought: Do you stop everyone going, ban all the artists coming in from Russia? But then you're really leaving the men and women who are gay and suffering under the antigay laws in an isolated situation. As a gay man, I can't leave those people on their own without going over there and supporting them. I don't know what's going to happen, but I've got to go."

Earlier this year, a parents' group asked Russian president Vladimir Putin to cancel the concerts because John would be in violation of the law.