A Russian celebrity influencer, Victoria Bonya, has publicly criticized Vladimir Putin, warning that the Russian people might 'snap' due to escalating issues. Her 18-minute Instagram video, which has garnered over 26 million views, highlights systemic problems such as digital censorship, economic stagnation, environmental crises, and regional flooding. While expressing support for Putin personally, Bonya accused top officials of hiding the true state of affairs from him, reflecting an unusual act of public criticism from a traditionally apolitical figure in Russia.

The Kremlin acknowledged her remarks, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov stating that Putin is aware of many issues and that efforts are underway to address them. The video marks a rare moment of open dissent in Russia’s repressive climate and is seen by political analysts as part of a broader, simmering discontent that could signal a pre-revolutionary situation. Since then, other media personalities have joined Bonya in voicing similar concerns, while state-backed commentators criticized her, framing her as manipulated by foreign interests or attempting to deflect blame from Putin.