Russian “Rambo” Wants to Defend Ukraine, Claims to Hate the Country

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Russian ‘Rambo’ admits to being ready to defend Ukraine. In fact, he admits that he now hates his country and is ready to fight for Kyiv.

The Russian ‘Rambo’ in question is an actor who was once the star of one of President Vladimir Putin’s favorite films, Artur Smolyaninov. He also admitted that he did not hesitate to shoot his former comrades who went to fight for Russia in Ukraine.

“There will be no mercy for the soldiers of his fatherland if he is at the front in Ukraine,” he said Business InsiderThursday (19/1/2023).

Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Smolyaninov has been critical of his country. In 2022, in an interview, he tells a journalist that the Russian war was a disaster.

“Everything collapsed. ash, smoke, stench, tears,” he said, as reported CNN International.

As a result of what he did, Smolyaninov was later fined 30,000 rubles. He was labeled as discrediting the Russian military in October 2022.

Reported CNN also, Smolyaninov himself had left the country and was living in exile. He is thought to be in Latvia at the moment.

Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Justice classified him as a foreign agent. The chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, also ordered that a criminal case be launched against the actor for his past comments against Russia, according to a statement issued by the committee on Telegram.

Smolyaninov was once a beloved actor in Russia. He played the lead role of a warrior in the 2005 film “Devyataya Rota” (The 9th Company), set during the Soviet-Afghan war.

It is this film that is said to be one of Putin’s all-time favourites. He even invited the director and stars of the film, including Smolyaninov, to meet with him at a special screening of the film at his residence in Moscow in 2005.

Thanks to that film, too, he earned the nickname “rambo” Russia. Rambo himself refers to action films starring the United States (US), Sylvester Stallone.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]