Making history in the USSR: Why are Boney M so big in Russia? Strangely enough, Boney M are a rare example of a Western act who are not just welcome in Russia, but almost universally adored, even in spite of their 1978 hit, ‘Rasputin’. Discos dug Boney M, concert-goers couldn’t get enough of them, and record sales went through the roof. Perhaps most unusually, despite the fact that the group have splintered into different incarnations following legal disputes over the name, all different versions of Boney M seemingly continue to tour Russia to this day. While Russia hasn’t got an official ban on as many Western artists these days, groups still tend to avoid performing in the country due to the political tensions that exist.