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| Alexander Gorbunov, the man behind the StalinGulag blog, has emerged as one of President Vladimir Putin's sharpest critics (AFP Photo/Alexander NEMENOV) |
Moscow (AFP) - He is wheelchair-bound and has limited use of his hands but Alexander Gorbunov, the author of hugely popular social media accounts in Russia, has emerged as one of President Vladimir Putin's most vocal critics.
Diagnosed
with spinal muscular atrophy and using his right index finger to type, the
27-year-old author of StalinGulag skewers the "hypocrisy" of Putin's
system and the everyday injustices ordinary Russians face.
Known for
his dry wit and generous use of profanities, StalinGulag has built a near 1.5
million strong army of followers on Twitter and Telegram, with a total media
outreach believed to include several million more.
For years
the StalinGulag author's identity remained one of Russia's best-kept secrets
but Gorbunov blew his cover after authorities began harrassing his 65-year-old
mother and 80-year-old father last week.
Gorbunov,
an intelligent, soft-spoken man with a goatee, said he and his wife have been
on tenterhooks.
"They
can easily arrest and put in prison anyone," Gorbunov told AFP in an
interview, saying that even a short stint in jail could kill him.
"They
don't care."
In an
increasing crackdown on dissent, Putin in March signed laws that allow courts
to fine and briefly jail people for showing disrespect towards the authorities
and to block media for publishing "fake news".
'Damn hero'
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Alexander
Gorbunov, now known as a top Russian opposition blogger StalinGulag,
has a
sharp wit and no illusions about his illness and his own future (AFP Photo/
Alexander
NEMENOV)
|
'Damn hero'
Gorbunov,
who is a successful self-taught financial trader by day, dreads publicity but
this week revealed his identity to BBC and later spoke to AFP after gun-toting
police inspected his parents' home in the North Caucasus city of Makhachkala.
His
relatives in Moscow have also been intimidated, he says.
"If
the authorities are afraid of what I write they are worthless," he said.
Gorbunov's
story has stunned Russia.
"This
person is a damn hero," said screenwriter Andrew Ryvkin, while author
Denis Bilunov called Gorbunov "the person of the year."
In a show
of solidarity, Pavel Durov, the self-exiled founder of the Telegram messenger
app, verified the StalinGulag account and offered his author help in moving
abroad.
Gorbunov
said he was heartened by the outpouring of support from Russians who have
flooded him with offers of help and money. He has chalked up some 40,000 new
followers over the past week.
The blogger
insisted he was neither a hero nor an opposition activist. He said he merely
puts in writing his thoughts on everything from Russia's foreign policy
blunders to the excessive lifestyle of Putin's inner circle.
"What's
happening in the country is terrible," Gorbunov said. "Injstice is
what angers me the most."
In a 2018
post, he issued a dark warning to his readers.
"Really
scary times are coming," he said, urging Russians to look out for each
other. "This is the reality and not everyone will get out alive."
Gorbunov
lives with his partner of seven years in a comfortable Moscow apartment,
employs two drivers and a live-in aide and enjoys an active social life.
He does not
want to reveal his income but says he forks out around 400,000 rubles ($6,145)
every month just to cover his rent and pay his helpers.
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Alexander
Gorbunov, the man behind the StalinGulag blog, does not believe he
will see a
change of leadership in his lifetime (AFP Photo/Alexey NIKOLSKY)
|
He refuses
to take any medication, saying his condition is incurable and he had no
illusions about his future.
"I
don't want to turn my life into a silly battle," he said. "It's a
battle I am going to lose."
'Not an
optimist'
A lawyer by
training, he works more than 10 hours a day, sometimes waking up at night if
the market moves. He writes posts for his StalinGulag accounts when the mood
strikes him and he needs a short break from work.
He appears
to take some of his inspiration from his favourite book, "Journey to the
End of the Night" by French novelist Louis-Ferdinand Celine.
The 1932
World War I classic filled with profanities expresses disgust with the
hypocrisy of society and laments the misery of human existence.
Gorbunov is
fiercely protective of his wife who sometimes holds his hand as he speaks to
AFP and helps him drink from a cup. They met seven years ago but refuse to
reveal details about their relationship.
His story
has generated huge media interest in Russia but Gorbunov hopes the buzz will
soon subside. He wants to get on with his life, watch the last season of Game
of Thrones and keep trading and writing his blogs.
He travels
sometimes but has never been to Europe.
Not that he
plans to leave Russia, even though life for people with disabilies here is a
relentless daily struggle, saying he wants to be together with his loved ones.
For all his
dark humour and keen intelligence, Gorbunov refuses to make any predictions
about the future of the country -- or his own.
He has a
feeling however that he will not see a change of leadership in his lifetime.
"I am
not an optimist in this sense."
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