Moscow – Former Royal Ballet star Sergei Polunin, famous for his tattoo of Russian President Vladimir Putin, announced on Wednesday that he plans to leave Russia. The Ukrainian-Russian dancer was one of the most prominent stars who supported Russia 2014 unilateral annexation of Crimea and his military invasion of Ukraine. He was awarded with prestigious state positions.
In a fake message on his Instagram account, Polunin wrote: “My time in Russia ran a long time ago, it seems at this moment that I have fulfilled my mission here.”
The post first appeared on Sunday on his largely unread Telegram account.
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Polunin, 35, did not give a specific reason for leaving but said that “there comes a time when the soul feels that it is not where it should be.”
He said he was leaving with his family – his wife Yelena and their three children – but “it is not clear where we will go so far.”
In the summer, the dancer complained about the lack of security and said he was being followed.
Ukrainian-born Polunin supported Putin's 2014 annexation of Crimea – a prelude to the succession, full invasion of Ukraine which Putin launched in February 2022.
The dancer was granted Russian citizenship in 2019. He was appointed acting head of a dance academy in Crimea's largest city, Sevastopol, and director of the city's opera and ballet theater. , where a large new building is being built.
Just last year he was decorated by Putin for his role in popularizing dance. But in August former Bolshoi head Maria Alexandrova was replaced as head of the dance academy, and a week ago, Russian art minister Olga Lyubimova announced that the role of theater director would go to singer Ildar Abdrazakov .
This came after Dec. 9 Polunin published a social media post saying it was “very difficult for people” living in the city of a large explosion near the city of Kherson in Ukraine, where his family is from. , and that “the worst treaty would be better than war.”
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At the age of 13, Polunin won a scholarship to train at the Royal Ballet School in London and was the youngest principal dancer ever.
With his tattoos – including a large picture of Putin's face emblazoned prominently on his chest – and his rebellious attitude, he was dubbed the “bad boy of ballet” and caused a sensation by retired from the Royal Ballet at the height of his fame in 2012.
Later he made a big 2015 video to an Irish musician Hozier's song “Take Me to Church” and starred in a 2016 documentary called “Dancer.”
He moved on to perform at the Stanislavsky Musical Theater ballet in Moscow before launching a solo career, taking part in dance recitals in roles including the mysterious Grigory Rasputin.
In 2019 he posed for AFP with a large tattoo of Putin on his chest which he added with two Putin faces on each shoulder. He also has a large Ukrainian trident on his right hand.
This year he participated Putin for re-election as a famous patron.
