'Nothing But Hatred': Once A Putin Favorite, Russia’s Rambo Now Wants To Fight For Ukraine

Russian actor Artur Smolyaninov, who acted in one of President Vladimir Putin’s favourite films, is now classified as a “foreign agent” and faces a criminal investigation. 

Russian actor Artur Smolyaninov, who acted in one of President Vladimir Putin’s favourite films, is now classified as a “foreign agent” and faces a criminal investigation. 

Source : Twitter

Russian actor Artur Smolyaninov, who acted in one of President Vladimir Putin’s favourite films, is now classified as a “foreign agent” and faces a criminal investigation.  Smolyaninov was the star actor in “Devyataya Rota” (The 9th Company), a Russian feature film released in 2005. He portrayed the role of the last soldier during a battle in Afghanistan, which Soviet forces occupied for a decade. The actor was often described as Russia’s Rambo, in reference to the US action movies featuring Sylvester Stallone.

The situation is different now with Smolyaninov in exile. In the latest interview, the actor said he was prepared to fight on Ukraine’s side and kill Russian soldiers, reported publication CNN. He told Novaya Gazeta last week: “I feel nothing but hatred to the people on the other (Russian) side of the frontline. And if I were there on the ground, there’d be no mercy.”

Smolyaninov also noted that a former colleague had gone to fight on the Russian side. “Would I shoot him? Without any doubt! Do I keep my options to go fight for Ukraine open? Absolutely! This is the only way for me. And if I were to go to this war, I would only fight for Ukraine,” he stressed

Just a few days later, the Russian Ministry of Justice classified the actor as a foreign agent.

In fact, a criminal case was ordered to be opened against Smolyaninov on the directions of Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Russia’s Investigative Committee

Smolyaninov has remained highly critical of the campaign in Ukraine. He also recorded a Soviet-era song – Temnaya Noch (Dark Night) – with different lyrics.

It included the lines: “Take a look, occupier, How maternity homes are without power, How children sit in shelters. And how books are drowned. The Russian night Has reached schools and hospitals.”

Another verse referred to “a bunker, Where one Führer hides, And a bald little cook, Feeds the Fuhrer from a spoon.” The cook was a reference to Yevgeny Prigozhin, who runs the Wagner private military company and won catering contracts from the Kremlin. Initially, when he voiced concerns against the war last summer, Smolyaninov, who at the time was in Russia, told an interviewer it was “a catastrophe, everything collapsed: ashes, smoke, stench, tears.”

Last October, a Moscow district court imposed a fine of 30,000 rubles (430 US dollars) against Smolyaninov on charges of discrediting the Russian armed forces. That same month, he left Russia and is thought to be in Latvia at present.