For years, Ilia Remeslo was a reliable pro-Kremlin operator – he attacked critics of the Putin regime, defamed independent journalists, bloggers, and opposition politicians. Then, quite abruptly, Remeslo turned against the Russian dictator and published a manifesto on Telegram, titled – “Five reasons why I no longer support Vladimir Putin,” writes The Guardian.
In the manifesto published for his 90,000 followers on the social network, Remeslo accuses the “illegitimate president” of Russia of leading a “failed war” in Ukraine that has produced millions of victims and destroyed the economy.He also said that Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power demonstrate how “absolute power corrupts” and asked him to step down.
The post caused a shockwave in Russia’s online sphere. Russians are stunned that such a loyal lieutenant of the regime has so quickly become a harsh critic of the regime. Many wonder if his change of approach is sincere.
However, Remeslo firmly stands by his words – he stated on Wednesday for The Guardian that “Vladimir Putin should resign and be tried for war crimes”.
“His corrupt and personalized system is doomed to collapse and we see this clearly now with the war in Ukraine and others. The army is no longer advancing in Ukraine, this war is going nowhere. We have huge losses. We are fighting for tiny territories, and Russia will gain nothing in the end,” he continued.
Although some of those who are part of the pro-war online community in Russia have had moments of criticizing the Russian military leadership, very few have gone so far – to openly and directly question Putin’s leadership or the reasoning behind the invasion.
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