Blogger who criticised Putin put in psych facility

Russian media say a pro-Kremlin figure who unexpectedly condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine in a social media post that went viral has been placed in a psychiatric hospital.

Ilya Remeslo has made a career condemning Putin’s critics and has become one himself, publishing a manifesto to his 90,000 followers on Telegram late Tuesday titled “Five reasons why I should stop supporting Vladimir Putin.”

He said Putin launched a “failed war” in Ukraine that killed millions of people and torpedoed Russia’s economy to the detriment of citizens’ well-being.

“Vladimir Putin is not a legitimate president. Vladimir Putin should resign and be tried as a war criminal and thief,” Remeslo wrote in his post.

On Thursday, St Petersburg’s Fontanka newspaper reported that Remeslo had been admitted to the city’s No. 3 Psychiatric Hospital.

The hospital’s information desk confirmed that a patient with the first and last names Remeslo was ready to receive a package, the newspaper said.

Reuters could not immediately confirm Remeslo was at the facility.

Fontanka did not specify on what grounds it was accepted.