Russian actor posts explosive rant telling Putin ‘you’re not my president’ before sudden U-turn
A young Russian actor posted a viral late-night video rejecting Vladimir Putin, only to back down and praise the president hours later following a chat with his mum
Alexei Yarmushchik went viral after uploading a late-night rant targeting Vladimir Putin(Image: a_yarm/Instagram )
A young Russian actor has gone viral after uploading a late-night rant directly targeting Vladimir Putin – before performing a dramatic U-turn just hours later.
Alexei Yarmushchik, 25, posted an emotional video to Instagram in the early hours of Tuesday (July 28), declaring that the Russian president was not his leader. The clip, in which he also questioned the country’s annexation of Crimea, has since racked up over two million views and more than 80,000 likes.
Speaking in the initial video, the former lead actor said: “Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, hello….I couldn’t get to sleep just now, and I want to tell you: every day, every night, I talk to you in my head…
Yarmushchik posted an emotional video declaring that Putin was not his leader(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
“I don’t know what to do, help me, save me, I can’t fall asleep. What do I do?…If I really am some kind of creative individual who has kept quiet all this time, well, here I am, speaking up.”
The former Moscow Gubernsky Drama Theater actor directly challenged the regime’s support among Gen-Z, adding: “I don’t want you to be my president. Never in my life. I’m 25 years old. I don’t know a single person my age who isn’t afraid of you or who would want you to be my president.”
He added: “I don’t think Crimea is ours. And that’s not some grand pronouncement. Not one person my age thinks it is.”
Yarmushchik’s video has racked up over two million views and more than 80,000 likes(Image: a_yarm/Instagram )
Yarmushchik concluded the explosive post with a firm message: “You are not my president. That’s all I wanted to say. Good night.”
However, the actor soon shifted his tone significantly in a follow-up video uploaded shortly after.
Yarmushchik claimed he spoke to his mother, who explained how much Putin had done for the nation and shared positive messages from government supporters.
Appearing upbeat about the reaction, he told followers: “I just adore our people – now I even love the government, and now I even respect Vladimir Vladimirovich, because there really are people out there who support him somehow. The whole point is just to talk. I’m proud I was born in this country.”
Speaking later to Telegram channel Ostorozhno Novosti, Yarmushchik admitted he was worried about the potential backlash.
He explained that his initial outburst was driven by intense anxiety over rumours of a fresh military draft and fears that Russian borders might be shut.
Social media users quickly reacted to the dramatic uploads, with many expressing concern for the actor’s safety following his initial public criticism of the regime.
One user posted: “Brave, but probably soon poisoned, or falling off a balcony somewhere. Sad.” Another wrote: “Keep him away from windows, brave on him, but this never ends well.”
Meanwhile, a third added: “Five years late, but better now than never. I hope more Russians rise up against Putin before he mobilises and kills 500,000 more men later this year.”
