"In mid-April, Bonya made a post on Instagram addressing President Putin 'on behalf of the people of Russia, even though they didn't ask me to do this.' Her post started with the following words: 'Vladimir Vladimirovich, people are in fear of you. Yet we should not be. And I am not afraid of you.... I'm a Russian; this is my country. You are our president. But there's a lot that you have no idea about... In my view, there's a huge wall that separates you from us, the people.'"
"She made a point about the authorities' disconnect from the people. She mentioned government failures during the flood in Dagestan and the environmental disaster in southern Russia's town of Tuapse. She wrote about the mandatory culling of livestock among Siberian farmers; the killing of endangered animals; the seizure of nature reserves; and citizens' inability to exercise their rights."
"She stated that the restrictions on access to the Internet are ruining small and medium-sized businesses. She pointed out that many aspire to leave the country, reflecting a deep sense of discontent among the populace."
Victoria Bonya, a 46-year-old blogger and TV host, has gained national fame in Russia following her bold Instagram post addressing President Putin. In her message, she expressed the fears of the Russian people and criticized the government's disconnect from citizens. Bonya highlighted various issues, including government failures during natural disasters, environmental concerns, and restrictions on internet access affecting businesses. Her candid remarks have resonated widely, leading to a phenomenon known as Bonya-mania, with discussions about her permeating various social settings across the country.
Read at The Nation
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