Putin Struggles Against Rare Revolt Led by Russian Influencers

Several of Russia’s high-profile influencers have spoken out against the country’s top officials, a rare stream of criticism that still sought to steer clear of directly condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Victoria Bonya, a Russian beauty influencer now living in Monaco, posted a lengthy video on Monday which she captioned as an “appeal” to Putin “from all concerned Russians.”

She said issues in the country were going unaddressed, like flooding in southeastern Russia, environmental pollution and limited access to the internet on top of clampdowns on social media.

"The people are afraid of you, artists are afraid, governors are afraid,” Bonya said, comparing Russia’s population to a “coiled spring.”

“One day, that coiled spring will shoot out,” she said.

Russian authorities have tightened controls on messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Telegram, while forcing Russian users of platforms like Instagram to log in via virtual private networks (VPNs).

But some human rights experts have said many Russian residents do not know how to access VPNs, while the authorities have pushed state-run alternatives more susceptible to surveillance.

Information crackdowns have come hand-in-hand with worsening economic conditions and failed peace talks to end the war in Ukraine, now well into its fifth year.

The war has put increasing pressure on Russia’s economy, the focus on pumping out military equipment eating away at government spending in other areas closer to home for Russia’s residents.

More than 1.3 million Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in early 2022, according to Ukraine’s military.

"War fatigue is really starting to set in,” Andrei Kolesnikov, a Russian political scientist, told The Guardian. “It is beginning to click in people's minds that everything that is happening is a consequence of the war.”

But Bonya, and other Russian celebrities who have tentatively criticized the Kremlin, have steered clear of directly denouncing the Russian president and the war in Ukraine.

Bonya cast the blame on Russian officials she said withheld the truth from the Kremlin chief, rather than pointing the finger at Putin himself.

Russia is well-acquainted with the idea of a “good czar and bad boyars,” a term used to describe a positive view of Russia’s very top leader but poor opinions of those in power, but lower down the hierarchy.

The Kremlin, in a rare public nod to criticism directed toward its leadership, said it had seen the video and was working to address the points Bonya made in her viral message.

A “great deal of work is being done,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. “None of this has been overlooked.”

Another influencer residing outside Russia, known as Aiza, posted and later deleted a video in which she echoed Bonya’s remarks and said “a lot of information probably doesn't reach the top.”

“Though I think that's completely wrong, because the connection between the president and the people should be very strong,” Aiza said in the now-unavailable clip, according to Russian opposition outlet Meduza.

Meanwhile, Russia’s state-owned pollster reported a slip in Putin’s approval rating for the sixth week in a row, Meduza reported.

The Kremlin leader’s approval score stood at 66.7 percent in the week up to April 12, 1.1 percent lower than the previous seven days, according to the outlet.

The state-run Russian Public Opinion Research Center also indicated a rise in distrust among those polled in Russia towards politicians and declining trust since late December.

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This story was originally published April 19, 2026 at 8:26 AM.