Athlete from Krasnodar publicly repents for insulting law enforcers during his video stream

Powerlifter Vladimir Vanyan*, detained after using foul language when speaking about FSB officers in a video stream on his YouTube channel, has apologized to the law enforcers. The athlete has stated that he “will serve with weapons in his hands in the SMO (special military operation).”

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reported that insults and discrediting of the Russian Army were detected on the Internet, after which the police identified an author of the insulting and discrediting statements, “a 35-year-old local resident.” The man faces administrative punishment under two articles, the Russian MIA’s official Telegram channel reports.

According to the records, the athlete was streaming on YouTube, probably in a state of alcoholic intoxication, and used foul language when speaking about FSB officers and participants in the special military operation (SMO) in Ukraine. Among other statements voiced by the weightlifter, provocative statements about Krasnodar and Armenia are cited.

Later, the “Typical Apsheronsk” Telegram channel has posted a video of the athlete’s detention and his subsequent apology. The footage shows law enforcers violently detaining the man as he exits a car, throwing him to the ground and kicking him.

“I sincerely apologize to the FSB officers for their inappropriate behaviour on my YouTube stream. I sincerely apologize to the servicemen of the SMO. I am ready to accept ... to defend Russia with weapons in my hands. Please forgive me, anything like this will not happen again. I love Russia, I am ready to serve Russia, please forgive me. That is why we shaved our beards, got ourselves in order, and will serve with weapons in our hands in the SMO,” Vladimir Vanyan* says in the video.

The ”Sport Baza” portal notes that the athlete’s Telegram channel has been renamed “Glory to the Russian Family” and all publications from it have been also deleted. Instead of an avatar, the Telegram channel of Vladimir Vanyan* now has an image with the letter Z.

Earlier, the “Caucasian Knot” has reported that stand-up comedian from Yeysk Artemy Ostanin apologized during interrogation for his joke about a disabled person without legs. A criminal case was instituted against Artemy Ostanin, as investigators treated his words as an insult to a participant in the special military operation (SMO), although Artemy Ostanin himself claims that his joke was about a simple beggar.

*Last name updated.