By the BBC's Alexander Kwiatkowski in Kaliningrad

Some of Russia's most famous personalities have gathered in the tiny enclave of Kaliningrad to raise money and awareness in the struggle against Aids.

In the first event of its kind in Russia, celebrities from the world of pop and politics organised a Live Aid-style concert on Friday night.

People trust me, millions of people listen to my music, and this gives me a kind of responsibility

Oleg Gazmanov Russian pop star

According to the latest official figures, Russia has more than 200,000 registered cases of HIV. Specialists fear that the actual figure could be six or seven times greater.

The impoverished city in Russia's most western territory has long been blighted by drugs, prostitution and Aids.

It was the first region in Russia to register an HIV case, and in 1996 it had the country's highest proportion of HIV.

Two of Kaliningrad's most famous offspring, veteran crooner Oleg Gazmanov, and Russia's First Lady Lyudmila Putin, fronted a massive campaign in the fight against the epidemic.

The Eurovision winner is an ethnic Russian form Latvia

Days before the concert, posters covered the city warning the population of the dangers of drugs.

Organisers billed the event as "action in the fight against drug abuse and Aids in Kaliningrad".

The line-up included many national and international pop stars including the winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, Marija Naumova.

Aids battle

Proceeds from the concert will go towards two medical institutions in Kaliningrad which have been battling against the spread of the disease.

The first is a children's home in a leafy district of the city.

Kaliningrad's experience is a model for the rest of Russia

Anna Chernyakhovskaya Unicef

The home monitors and treats the babies of HIV-positive women.

It takes 18 months before doctors can be sure whether the children are infected or not.

Mother-to-child transmission particularly worries doctors. It means that the disease is duplicating by itself.

The other is an Aids clinic which offers free and anonymous tests, advice and help to the people of Kaliningrad.

Kaliningrad's hospitals could lead the way for Russia

Kaliningrad is leading the rest of the country by example, says Anna Chernyakhovskaya, Russian representative of Unicef.

"Kaliningrad's experience is a model for the rest of Russia."

However both the home and the clinic are in desperate need of funding.

Other regions of Russia are now being hit hard by the epidemic.

The situation is worst in the Moscow and St Petersburg regions, and Siberia.

Important publicity

Lyudmila Putin's presence should help publicise the Aids crisis

The government has been criticised often for not doing enough about the spread of Aids in Russia.

Dr Vadim Pokrovsky, the country's leading specialist on the disease, is one such critic.

"At the moment the government has no idea how bad the epidemic is," he says.

"One of the reasons is that, so far, very few people have actually died from Aids.

"This is because the majority have only recently become infected, and death can come 12 years after infection.

Aids awareness in Russia is still in its infancy

"In 10 years time, hundreds of thousands of people could die every year from this illness.

"In order to stop this we need to take preventative measures now."

The general feeling is that Lyudmila Putin's involvement in this campaign is a sign that at last someone important is taking notice.

The battle is far from won, but for the 5,000 spectators at the concert and countless more across the whole of Russia, this was certainly a step in the right direction.