Vitaly Nalivkin, the director behind a satirical online series that lampoons the fictional figure described as the chairman of the board of directors of the Ussuri region, confirmed reports about Andrei Neretin’s death. Andrei Klochkov told a media outlet that the actor had begun drinking heavily, which led to his hospitalization.
A few days earlier, a video circulated showing the series’ self-styled president objecting to continuing the project, citing pressure from a second criminal case. The strain reportedly pushed the actor to lose his temper. Before this, he had been undergoing treatment and had not consumed alcohol for a year. When news spread that the project would be closed, he reportedly could not cope. He was said to have a fondness for alcohol, and observers believe it took a toll.
Doctors have not stated a precise cause of death, but the negative impact of alcohol addiction on his health is widely considered a contributing factor by those close to the case.
Nalivkin’s team said they did everything possible to help him. He was sent to hospital but did not survive. Doctors attempted to save him, but he was in a state where little could be done. On Saturday at 19:00 Primorye time, news arrived that the legendary comrade president had passed away. A detached blood clot is suspected as a possible cause, though doctors have not issued an official diagnosis yet. The prevailing view is that alcohol-related harm played a role in the decline.
Andrei Neretin rose to prominence through a satirical show on YouTube, where the character of a fictional official inspired by Nalivkin initially addresses various problems in Ussuriysk.
In 2021, a criminal case was opened against the show’s writers under hooliganism for a humorous video in which Neretin’s character fires a grenade launcher. In October 2024, a report by the Mash Telegram channel indicated that another lawsuit had been filed against the team in connection with explosives production.
News of Neretin’s death became known on Sunday, October 6, with Mash suggesting the actor may have suffered from blood clots.
Earlier reports claimed that Vitaly Nalivkin had raised 30 thousand rubles to cover housing and treatment.