For years, Ilya Remeslo was a reliable pro-Kremlin figure, targeting critics of the regime and smearing independent journalists, bloggers, and opposition politicians. Then the 42-year-old lawyer suddenly turned against the country’s most powerful man. Late on Tuesday, Remeslo posted a manifesto to his 90,000 Telegram followers titled: “Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin.”
In it, he accused the “illegitimate” Russian president of waging a “failing war” in Ukraine that had caused millions of casualties and wrecked the economy. He argued that Putin’s more than two decades in power showed how “absolute power corrupts,” and called on him to step down.
The post sent shockwaves through Russia’s online community, raising questions about how such a loyalist could reverse course so abruptly—and whether the shift was genuine.
Doubling down on his earlier remarks, he told the Guardian on Wednesday from his apartment in St. Petersburg: “Vladimir Putin should resign and be put on trial as a war criminal. His personalized, corrupt system is doomed to collapse, as we’re seeing now with the war in Ukraine and elsewhere.
“The army isn’t advancing in Ukraine, and the war is going nowhere. There are massive losses. We are fighting over tiny territories that will ultimately give Russia nothing.”
He went on to criticize Putin’s authoritarian rule, the state of the economy, and Moscow’s recent efforts to restrict internet access. “This man [Putin] has destroyed everything he could lay his hands on. The country is literally falling apart,” Remeslo said.
While members of Russia’s pro-war community, known as “Z-bloggers,” have at times criticized the country’s military leadership, very few have openly challenged Putin or the broader rationale behind the invasion.
Remeslo’s wide-ranging tirade, therefore, marked a rare breach of longstanding taboos, said Ivan Philippov, a researcher of the pro-war movement. “This really is unprecedented,” he said. “I am struggling to make sense of it.”
Remeslo, a former member of Russia’s Public Chamber, a Kremlin-controlled advisory body, has long been known as a regime henchman who used his legal background to target and denounce critics of the authorities in court and online. Much of his work centered on campaigns targeting the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, appearing in courtrooms across the country to testify against him.
Remeslo’s about-face provoked immediate speculation. Some initially suggested his account could have been hacked—a theory quickly dismissed after Remeslo published a video repeating his claims. Others argued it could be a form of Kremlin political dark arts—a staged provocation to identify those who might support him.
Philippov suggested Remeslo might be having a “mental breakdown.”
Remeslo claimed that “none of this is staged. I am just speaking the truth” and denied that he had been directed by anyone, saying: “People really overestimate the current administration. They wouldn’t come up with such a plan.”
Asked why he had chosen to speak out now, Remeslo said the decision had developed gradually until he felt he could no longer remain silent. “Putin is no longer ‘one of us.’ He is a person whose interests are completely alien to both Russia and me personally. I’ve come to the conclusion that it is both possible and necessary to criticize him, because otherwise none of this will stop and nothing good will come of it,” he said, adding that many others in the community “thought the same way.”
Remeslo said he had been receiving frantic calls throughout the morning from contacts in the security services, urging him to take down the posts, which he said suggested the system was panicking.
The Russian opposition appeared puzzled on Wednesday. Leonid Volkov, a close ally of Navalny and…One of Remeslo’s longtime targets said he initially suspected the episode was staged, but later changed his mind, believing the comments went far beyond anything the Kremlin would approve or orchestrate.
“He wrote and said things that simply cannot be said. People are jailed for far less… This opens a very dangerous Pandora’s box. It crosses every red line,” Volkov said.
Still, he added, “it is hard to believe this was an act of personal courage or initiative.”
Remeslo’s outburst comes at a politically sensitive time for Moscow, which has recently faced rare criticism even from its staunchest supporters over widespread mobile internet blackouts and disruptions to Telegram. Recent polling also suggests growing war fatigue, with a record number of Russians saying they would prefer the conflict to end as economic pressures mount.
Nevertheless, Western intelligence assessments and experts generally believe Putin’s system of power remains resilient, characterized by elite cohesion and tight control over society.
Remeslo said he was under no illusion that he could face prosecution for his remarks. Russian authorities have previously dealt ruthlessly with internal challenges, even among prominent nationalists. They gave a lengthy prison sentence to Igor Girkin, a prominent former separatist commander and outspoken critic of Putin, and purged his allies. Moscow is also believed to have been behind the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mercenary leader who launched a short-lived mutiny and later died when his plane crashed under murky circumstances.
“I am ready for any trial against me,” Remeslo said. “The time has come to somehow break this vicious cycle and speak out. I bear a certain responsibility as someone who, for a long time, supported this regime and helped it survive.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the news story Put him on trial ProKremlin figure turns on Putin in rare public criticism designed to cover a range of perspectives
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What is this news story about
A longtime Russian politician and ally of Vladimir Putin Sergey Mironov publicly called for Putin to be put on trial for treason over the handling of the war in Ukraine This is extremely rare criticism from inside the political system
2 Who is Sergey Mironov
He is a veteran Russian politician a former Speaker of Parliament and the leader of the A Just Russia party which has always supported the Kremlin He is considered a systemic opposition figure meaning he operates within the rules set by Putins government
3 Why is this such a big deal
Public criticism of Putin especially calling for his trial is almost unheard of from established figures in Russia It suggests significant cracks and frustration within the political elite particularly regarding the wars failures and human cost
4 Was he arrested for saying this
Not immediately As of now he has not been arrested This is also notable as lesserknown critics have faced swift punishment It may indicate he still has some protection or that the Kremlin is calculating how to respond without drawing more attention to the criticism
5 What does treason mean in this context
Mironov is accusing Putin of betraying Russias interests by starting a war that has led to massive Russian casualties economic damage and a loss of international standing rather than protecting the country
Advanced Analytical Questions
6 Is this a sign of real political change in Russia
Its a significant signal of elite discord but not necessarily imminent change It shows that frustration over the war is moving from private whispers to public statements among powerful figures which can weaken Putins authority from within
7 What are the possible motivations behind Mironovs statement
Experts suggest several genuine anger over military failures a calculated move to position himself or his faction for a postPutin scenario a controlled release of pressure by the system itself to show there is debate or an attempt to appeal to hardline nationalists who feel the war isnt being fought aggressively enough
