March 20, 2026
A longtime pro-Putin blogger published a tirade against the Russian president. Now he’s in a psychiatric hospital.
Ilya Remeslo, a longtime pro-Kremlin blogger known for filing complaints against critics of the Russian authorities, made waves in the country this week when he published a Telegram post titled “Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin.” Days later, he was reported to have been hospitalized at a St. Petersburg psychiatric facility. Here’s what we know about Remeslo’s about-face.
TL;DR
- Pro-Kremlin blogger Ilya Remeslo published a Telegram post criticizing Vladimir Putin, accusing him of starting the war, damaging Russia's economy, and illegally consolidating power.
- Days after his post, Remeslo was reported to be hospitalized in a St. Petersburg psychiatric facility.
- Speculation arose about punitive psychiatry, family connections to mental health professionals, or a voluntary hospitalization to avoid prosecution.
- Remeslo, who previously targeted critics like Alexey Navalny and received Kremlin funding, insisted he wrote the post himself and was not facing legal trouble.
- He cited disillusionment with Putin's handling of the war and his leadership as reasons for his change in stance, expressing a desire for a negotiated settlement in Ukraine.
- Remeslo stated he had not received threats but refused a request to delete his post from Apti Alaudinov, commander of Chechnya’s Akhmat special forces unit.
Continue reading the original article