Key facts
- Russian blogger Ilya Remeslo has been detained.
- Remeslo is accused of spreading false information about the armed forces.
- He recently published a manifesto criticizing President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
- Remeslo was reportedly placed in a psychiatric facility.
- He was previously a pro-Kremlin figure.
Russian blogger Ilya Remeslo, who had previously been a pro-Kremlin figure, has been detained on suspicion of spreading false information about the armed forces, according to state news agency TASS. Remeslo recently published a manifesto on social media titled "Five reasons why I stopped supporting Vladimir Putin," which gained viral traction. In the post, he criticized Putin's handling of the war in Ukraine, calling it a "failing war" that had harmed Russia's economy and citizens. Remeslo also stated that Putin is not a legitimate president and should resign and face trial as a war criminal. Russian media, including the St. Petersburg newspaper Fontanka, reported that Remeslo had been hospitalized in Psychiatric Hospital No. 3, though Reuters could not immediately confirm this. The grounds for his admission were not specified.