Ilya Remeslo

Ilya Remeslo is a 42-year-old Russian lawyer and former pro-Kremlin blogger who previously attacked critics of the regime, independent journalists, and opposition politicians. He is now newsworthy due to his sudden and unexpected denouncement of Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine. In a manifesto titled "Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin," posted to his 90,000 Telegram followers, Remeslo called for Putin's resignation and prosecution as a war criminal. Following this public criticism, Remeslo was reportedly placed in a psychiatric facility in Saint Petersburg. This incident is significant because it represents a rare instance of a prominent pro-Kremlin figure publicly turning against Putin, highlighting potential dissent within the Russian establishment, though the circumstances surrounding his change of heart and subsequent detainment remain unclear.