A pro-Kremlin blogger lashed out at Putin; he ended up in a psychiatric ward
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A prominent pro-Kremlin blogger known for his aggressive attacks on Russia’s opposition abruptly turned against President Vladimir Putin publishing a series of scathing critiques.
A day later, he was allegedly admitted into a psychiatric hospital in St. Petersburg.
The blogger, Ilya Remeslo, had built his public profile by targeting the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his allies, often filing complaints and supporting legal cases against them.
His sudden reversal — and the speed with which he disappeared from public view — has drawn intense attention in Russia’s tightly controlled media environment.
The shift began on the evening of March 17, when Remeslo published a lengthy post on his Telegram channel titled “Five Reasons Why I No Longer Support Vladimir Putin.” In it, he described Russia’s war in Ukraine as “absolutely a dead end,” criticized the damage to the Russian economy, and accused the Kremlin of putting a chokehold on media freedom and internet access.
He also questioned Putin’s decades-long hold on power, writing that the president “does not respect his voters” and suggesting that “absolute power corrupts absolutely — especially when it is endless.” In an even more striking passage, Remeslo declared that Putin was “not a legitimate president” and should resign and face trial as a “war criminal and thief.”
At first, some observers speculated that his account had been hacked. But Remeslo quickly posted a video message insisting the statements were his own and urging followers to “think about it until morning.”
Then, Remeslo had stopped responding to calls and ceased posting on social media.
According to Russian media outlet Fontanka and pro-war Telegram channels, a day later, Remeslo was hospitalized at Psychiatric Hospital No. 3. Staff at the facility confirmed to local journalists that a patient bearing his name had been admitted.
The reaction from Russia’s political and media establishment was swift. Vladimir Solovyov, a leading Russian propagandist, dismissed Remeslo’s statements as the product of a psychological breakdown. He described such figures as “fellow travelers” who lose their nerve and begin repeating “foreign narratives.”
Remeslo himself appeared to anticipate repercussions. In comments to an independent Russian outlet Agentstvo on March 18, he said he was prepared for “any development” and did not plan to leave Russia unless his family was threatened. “If they put me on trial, let them try,” he said, adding that he had information he could reveal in court.
The use of psychiatry as a tool of political repression has deep roots in Russia, particularly during the Soviet era. Beginning in the 1960s, authorities systematically deployed what became known as “punitive psychiatry” against dissidents who challenged the state.
In contemporary Russia, critics of the government face a wide array of threats. Independent journalists, activists and opposition figures have been labeled “foreign agents” or “extremists,” designations that impose financial burdens, legal risks and social stigma. Organizations linked to opposition movements, including those founded by Navalny, have been imprisoned, forced into exile, or killed.
The Kremlin has tightened control over the information space since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. New laws criminalize the spread of what authorities call “false information” about the military, effectively outlawing independent reporting on the war.
“That was fast,” wrote Ivan Zhdanov, former head of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, commenting on the lightning speed with which Remeslo was allegedly apprehended.
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