A Russian ballet star has said he’s leaving the country with his family because his ‘soul’ doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place.
Sergei Polunin, 35, was born in Ukraine but has lived in Russia and been a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin – going as far as having multiple tattoos of the Russian leader.
Polunin has also been a big supporter of Putin’s war in Ukraine, even speaking in his native language to share his support for it.
In a recent Instagram post, however, he wrote: ‘My soul is not in its place. Thank you for everything Russia has done for me. There comes a time when my soul feels like it is not where it should be.
‘My time in Russia expired a long time ago and it’s as if I have fulfilled my mission here for now.’
Polunin has already been slammed for the post by Ukrainians who believe he betrayed them.
One wrote: ‘I wonder how you live with an amputated conscience?’
Another said: ‘I don’t believe it. Such a patriot and suddenly he leaves.’
Others have suggested the Putin-supporting Ukrainian was hacked, pointing out differences in his normal post style and the photo he posted.
CBS reported this summer that he had posted about ‘lack of security’ and said he was being followed.
He also changed his tune regarding full-out support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week, writing on December 9: ‘Here is Kherson street where I spent my childhood, where the Polunin generation grew up and my Russian grandfather built a small house with his own hands.
‘I wanted to wish Russia to have stronger negotiators. The worst deal would be better than war. I feel very sorry for the people, life there was not easy anyway.
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After becoming the youngest-ever Royal Ballet principal dancer at the age of 20, he went on to win multiple awards and perform around the world.
He also gained fame for performing in Hozier’s music video for Take Me To Church in 2015.
He moved to Moscow in the years following and was recently decorated by him after helping in his campaign for re-election.
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