Russian blogger’s fierce critique of Kremlin goes viral: ‘People are afraid of you’

Russian celebrity blogger Victoria Bonya posted a viral video criticizing the Kremlin for various issues, including regional problems like flooding, pollution, and economic hardship. The video, viewed millions of times, highlights public fear of authorities and warns of potential unrest. The Kremlin publicly acknowledged the criticism and claimed to be addressing the issues raised. While some speculate the video was a coordinated effort to deflect blame from Putin ahead of elections, analysts suggest it reflects genuine public discontent fueled by war fatigue. The incident coincides with a decline in Putin's approval ratings.

The Kremlin denied claims that President Vladimir Putin is shielded from negative news regarding Russia's internal issues. This denial follows criticism from Viktoria Bonya, a popular Russian blogger, who alleged that unnamed officials are not truthfully informing Putin about the country's problems. Bonya's video, outlining five specific issues, gained significant traction on social media, prompting the Kremlin to respond. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserted that Putin is fully aware of the range of issues facing Russia due to his position and responsibilities. The Kremlin had previously acknowledged Bonya's criticism and stated that work was underway to address the problems she highlighted.