'Russia's Rambo' says he feels 'hatred' for his home country & wants to fight for Ukraine

Artur Smolyaninov is a Russian actor who rose to fame after his role in the popular film “Devyataya Rota” (The 9th Company) which depicts a Soviet unit making a last-ditch stand against Afghan insurgents. He played the role of the last soldier standing during the battle and was often described as Russia's version of Rambo. However, he is now in exile, and his recent statements expressing his willingness to fight on Ukraine's side and kill Russian soldiers have led to him being classified as a foreign agent by the Russian Ministry of Justice, as per a report from CNN.

Smolyaninov has been vocal about his opposition to the Russian campaign in Ukraine, and his recent statements are not the first time he has spoken out against the war. Last year, he described the war as a "catastrophe, everything collapsed: ashes, smoke, stench, tears". His criticism of the campaign led to him being fined by a Moscow district court in October for discrediting the Russian armed forces.

Smolyaninov's statements have led to a crimial case against him

His recent song Temnaya Noch (Dark Night) with reworked lyrics that were critical of the Russian government's actions in Ukraine, and his statements have reportedly led to a criminal case against him. Western commentary is stating that this move by the Russian government is aimed at silencing critics of the war. It is also possible that significant number of Russians feel a sense of betrayal and consider the actor a traitor for saying that he would kill Russian soldiers. Vast swathes of Russian population, especially in the rural areas, remain quite patriotic and Smolyaninov's statements would be considered sacrilegious. 

It is worth noting that Smolyaninov's film "Devyataya Rota" was widely popular and Putin welcomed the actors and crew, including Smolyaninov, to his residence outside Moscow in November 2005, where he put on a special showing of the movie. According to the CNN report, Russia's President Vladimir Putin declared that the film “takes the soul, you immerse yourself in the film". The Russian Justice Ministry has also added several other individuals to its list of foreign agents in recent days, including music critic Artemy Troitsky and several journalists.