Meet Ilya Varlamov. He is a popular russian blogger currently living in Europe. I used to watch him years ago for his urbanism content and architectural preservation/restoration projects.
Ilya has fked from russia because he doesn't agree with putin's politics. He doesn't feel safe and free in russia and he wants to live in a cultured and democratic society.
A perfect recipe for an anti-war "good russian", right? Wrong.
Instead of raising money for Ukrainian army, helping out Ukrainian refugees, participating in pro-Ukrainian demonstrations, raising awareness about russian war crimes - basically, doing anything morally correct in a situation when a country you're a citizen of is commiting a genocide - Ilya spends his time whining about how unfair and "russophobic" the world is.
Recently he has been spotted in London by a ukrainian journalist, who has asked him a very simple question - is putin a war criminal? For a supposed "anti-war opposition", this couldn't be easier to answer, no? Well, Ilya answered the question by running away from the journalist
You might remember this character from the last-year scandal involving his Instagram post about Kyrgyzstan. While staying there as a "war refugee", he has defended his entitlement of insulting the country that sheltered, compared Kyrgyzstan to a giant restaurant and said that Kyrgiz people should be grateful that he has blessed them with his presence and must aim to please him. Never deleted that post, btw. Probably still thinks there was nothing wrong with it.
(Cultural context: Kyrgyzstan is a Cetral Asian country, so his speech reads very much as "natives, come kiss the feet of a white man")
Ilya has video series where he explores various "post-Soviet" countries, and a year ago he has made one about Ukraine as well. Only unlike with other countries, his entry about Ukraine was full of lies and pro-Kremlin propaganda. There is a very thorough examination of that "film" by a ukrainian journalist Roman Tsymbalyk, whom he has interviewed for his film and then edited out 99% of the interview and totally misrepresented Roman. Unfortunately, the video is in russian, but you might play around with automatically generated subtitles.
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I am talking about this man not because he is some kind of rando. This is a very popular blogger (1,3 million subs on Instagram, 4,56 million subscribers on Youtube). This is the voice the "young, progressive, anti-authoritarian russian youth" listens to. This illustrates the truth all ukrainians know very well - russian liberalism ends on the "ukrainian question".
EDWARD BLUEMEL for PhotoBook Magazine (July 2022)
📸 Roman Varlamov
Q: How would you describe “Persuasion” to audiences?
“It's funny. I remember laughing out loud at the script during the read through so I hope that’s carried into the film. Jane Austen was writing her novels as comedies, but it’s easy to accidentally turn them into stuffy period pieces and lose the joy. If all works out well, this film has corsets AND jokes.”
Bobrovsky Sergei
Bussi Brandon
Demko Thatcher
Hellebucyk Connor
Hofer Joel
Kochetkov Pyotr
Kolosov Alexei
Levi Devon
Markstrom Jacob
Oettinger Jake
Poulter Isaac
Quick Jonathan
Saros Juuse
Shesterkin Igor
Silovs Arturs
Sorokin Ilya
Stevenson Clay
Varlamov Semyon
Vasilevskiy Andrei
Vladar Daniel
F
Barkov Aleksander
Barlow Colby
Benson Zach
Boldy Matthew
Bordeleau Thomas
Byfield Quinton
Caufield Cole
Chytil Filip
Coleman Blake
Cooley Logan
Cozens Dylan
Eklund William
Gaudreau Johnny
Guenther Dylan
Guentzel Jake
Hintz Roope
Holloway Dylan
Hughes Jack
Jarvis Seth
Johnson Kent
Johnston Wyatt
Kakko Kaapo
Kaprizov Kirill
Konecny Travis
Kovalenko Nikolai
Krebs Peyton
Kreider Chris
Kucherov Nikita
Kulich Jiri
Lafreniere Alexis
Laine Patrik
Lardis Nick
Lekkerimaki Jonathan
Leonard Ryan
Lysell Fabian
Marner Mitch
Matthews Auston
McDavid Connor
McTavish Mason
Meier Timo
Michkov Matvei
Miller J.T.
Miroshnichenko Ivan
Moore Oliver
Necas Martin
Neighbours Jake
Norris Josh
Othmann Brennan
Ovechkin Alexander
Panarin Artemi
Pastrnak David
Perreault Gabriel
Peterka John- Jason
Pettersson Elias
Robertson Jason
Rossi Marco
Roy Joshua
Savoie Matthew
Scheifele Mark
Sillinger Cole
Skinner Jeff
Stamkos Steve
Stone Mark
Stutzle Tim
Svechnikov Andrei
Sykora Adam
Tarasenko Vladimir
Thompson Tage
Tkachuk Brady
Trikozov Gleb
Trocheck Vincent
Vatrano Frank
Wahlberg Anton
Yurov Danila
Zegras Trevor
Zibanejad Mika
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Addison Calen
Broberg Philip
Brzustewicz Hunter
Byram Bowen
Carlson John
Chabot Thomas
Chychrun Jakub
Clarke Brandt
Dobson Noah
Ekblad Aaron
Fox Adam
Hamilton Dougie
Heiskanen Miro
Hughes Quinn
Hutson Lane
Jones Seth
Josi Roman
Letang Kris
Matheson Mike
McAvoy Charlie
Nemec Simon
Nikishin Alexander
Perunovich Scott
Pietrangelo Alex
Rielly Morgan
Sanderson Jake
Slavin Jaccob
Trouba Jacob
York Cam
Zellweger Olen