Kremlin targets influencer after posts turn political

The Russian government is reportedly targeting an influencer after her online posts turned political following the invasion of Ukraine. 

Veronika Belotserkovskaya, who goes by the handle “Belonika” on Instagram normally posts about her glitzy lifestyle on the social media platform. However, her posts became increasingly political after the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. 

One of her first posts into the political foray included her standing in front of a yellow door with a blue dress on, an apparent nod to Ukraine’s national colors. 

In the caption, she referred to “one man” who is “bored of the absolute power” and believes that “he is the heaven.”

“I AM WITH YOU UKRAINE,” the caption concludes, according to the translation on Instagram. 

In another post, she wrote: “I don’t consider the Ukrainian people as my enemy. I consider them as brothers and sisters. I consider this ‘special operation’ an invasive WAR against a sovereign state,” she said, according to a report from Bloomberg. 

Russia’s Investigative Committee released a statement that the influencer was in violation of a new law that forbids Russians from spreading information about the war not approved by the government. 

The committee said the posts “deliberate false information about the use of armed forces by the Russian Federation for the destruction of cities and against Ukrainian civilian population, including children, in the course of the special military operation on Ukrainian government territory,” according to Bloomberg. 

Belotserkovskaya does not live in Russia, according to the outlet, and the Russian government is threatening to put her on an international wanted list. 

Russia passed a law after the start of the invasion banning Russians from spreading “disinformation” about that war, or they could face 15 years in prison.