Pro-Kremlin Russian blogger who turned on Putin sent to psychiatric unit

A pro-Kremlin figure who unexpectedly denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine in a social media post this week that went viral has been placed in a psychiatric facility, Russian media reported on Thursday. Ilya Remeslo made a career denouncing Putin’s critics until he became one himself, posting a manifesto late on Tuesday to his 90,000 followers on Telegram entitled: “Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin.” He said Putin had prosecuted a “failing war” in Ukraine that had killed millions and torpedoed Russia’s economy to the detriment of its citizens’ well-being. “Vladimir Putin is not a legitimate president. Vladimir Putin must resign and be brought to trial as a war criminal and a thief,” Remeslo wrote in his post. On Thursday, St Petersburg’s Fontanka newspaper reported Remeslo had been hospitalised in the city’s Psychiatric Hospital No 3. It said the hospital’s information desk confirmed a patient with Remeslo’s name and surname was available to receive packages. Reuters was unable to immediately confirm Remeslo was in the facility. Fontanka did not specify the grounds on which he may have been admitted. Remeslo’s posts represent a rare reversal for a public figure who built his profile attacking the Kremlin’s opponents. Even if isolated, the criticism suggests support for the war is beginning to erode within some parts of Russia’s traditionally loyal political fringe. That aligns with data that suggest Russians are growing weary of the conflict that is now in its fifth year. While support for Putin remains strong, 67 per cent of respondents say the country should move towards peace negotiations, according to a survey by the independent Levada Centre, published on March 3. That figure rose sharply from the previous month to reach a record high. “If this is not a security services provocation to test public opinion, then it is one manifestation of broader fatigue with what is happening,” Andrei Kolesnikov, a Moscow-based political analyst, said. “Fatigue has built up significantly both among the population and within the authorities.” Russia’s economy is coming under increasing strain amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, with high interest rates, labour shortages and mounting budget pressures weighing on growth. Persistent inflation has forced the central bank to keep borrowing costs high, while heavy military spending is crowding out civilian investment. Sanctions and constrained export revenue are further limiting access to technology and capital. Remeslo has stressed that he remains in Russia and does not intend to leave. He described the invasion of Ukraine as a “dead-end war” fought “solely for Putin’s complexes” that is inflicting severe economic damage. He also complained about the sweeping crackdown on media and internet freedoms under way. The most pointed criticism was reserved for Putin himself, who he said was no longer listening to citizens after more than two decades in power. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” Remeslo said in one post. He also struck out at what he called excessive personal wealth among the leadership. Remeslo’s posts have drawn wide attention from pro-government commentators and the opposition alike because such remarks are so rare after years of the Kremlin’s crackdown on dissent. Chechen commander Apti Alaudinov, a senior Russian military official, suggested his statements were made under duress and called for checks on whether he was being held by “anti-Russian forces”. A pro-Kremlin host on state television, Vladimir Solovyov, said Remeslo may have “snapped” or “switched camps”, reflecting a broader effort by pro-government voices to discredit the attacks. Leonid Volkov, an ally of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, said he initially suspected the episode may have been staged before later describing the remarks as crossing all red lines. The Kremlin has a record of suppressing public criticism, particularly from people who command a Telegram following the size of his. Before this, authorities were already moving to restrict the messaging app. “The war is dragging on, everyone is tired, opportunities are being missed and the question is in the air: why do we need such a Putin?” said Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of R.Politik. “Remeslo is a small symptom that the pro-Putin, pro-war elite is dissatisfied.”

Pro-Kremlin Russian blogger who turned on Putin sent to psychiatric unit

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ilya Remeslo made a career calling out Putin’s critics until an abrupt about-turn saw him denouncing the Russian leader as a ‘war criminal’

Ilya Remeslo made a career calling out Putin’s critics until an abrupt about-turn saw him denouncing the Russian leader as a ‘war criminal’