Internet maverick Pavel Durov is calling on Russians to take off their shirts in the footsteps of President Vladimir Putin.
Inspired by photos from Putin’s fishing trip to Siberia — during which the 64-year-old president undressed — the founder of the Vkontakte website and Telegram messenger service published a shirtless photograph of himself on Instagram in response.
“My Instagram had to seriously step up the game to keep up with the increased competition from Mr. Putin’s shirtless photos,” he wrote in English.
“If you’re Russian, you have to join #PutinShirtlessChallenge (or face oblivion). Two rules from Putin — no photoshop, no pumping. Otherwise you’re not an alpha.”
Russians were quick to respond. Within a day of the post, there were more than 360 shirtless photos — with some Russians clearly taking themselves more seriously than others.
Here’s a selection of the best ones so far.
Russian politician Dmitry Gudkov:
Durov sold his shares in Vkontakte in 2014 and left Russia after running foul of the authorities and proceeded to launch the encrypted messenger service, Telegram. In recent months, he once again clashed with the Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor after it threatened to ban Telegram unless it officially registered with the Russian authorities.
Durov eventually agreed for Telegram to be registered, but said he would not grant authorities access to users' data.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
