Pro-Kremlin Blogger Arrested for ‘War Fakes’ Months After Denouncing Putin

July 17, 2026 Ilya Remeslo. @remeslaw / Telegram Russian law enforcement authorities have arrested blogger and former Kremlin loyalist Ilya Remeslov for allegedly spreading false information about the military, the state news agency TASS reported Friday, citing police sources. Remeslo’s lawyer said the blogger is currently being transported from St. Petersburg to Moscow to face prosecution. Authorities have not officially confirmed the charges, which carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. In March, Remeslo shocked both supporters and critics when he publicly denounced President Vladimir Putin in a scathing manifesto. In it, he accused the Kremlin leader of sending Russians to their deaths in a “dead-end war” and called for Putin to be put on trial as a war criminal. Shortly after, the blogger was placed in a St. Petersburg psychiatric facility for a month. Remeslo later called the hospitalization involuntary retaliation for his remarks, which he refused to recant. Remeslo had long served as an attack dog for the Kremlin, using his legal background to file complaints against activists and regime critics. He was closely involved in campaigns against the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny and appeared in court proceedings against him. While prominent figures in Russia’s online pro-war community, collectively known as “Z-bloggers,” occasionally criticize the authorities, Remeslo’s direct and unyielding attack on the Russian president was unusual, and it set off a frenzy of speculation across the political spectrum. Read more about: Blogger Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russian Pro-War Blogger Accused of Laundering Money Meant for Soldiers Roman Alyokhin briefly served as an adviser to former Kursk region Governor Alexi Smirnov, who was arrested earlier this year on fraud charges and is currently... 2 Min read Pro-War Blogger Polynkov Arrested in Moscow Mikhail Polynkov is a close associate of jailed ex-separatist commander Igor Girkin, and runs the Telegram channel “Soldier’s Truth.” 2 Min read Russian Military Blogger Jailed for Criticizing Armed Forces The former soldier accused Russia of cutting off water access to civilians near the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih and of bombing a maternity hospital. 1 Min read Russia Charges Blogger Varlamov With ‘Discrediting’ Army Ilya Varlamov, who runs a YouTube channel with over 5 million subscribers, has publicly criticized Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 1 Min read