Actor Andrei Neretin, best known for portraying Vitaly Nalivkin, the deputy in the Ussuriysk City Duma, in a satirical online series, has died after a health battle.
Reports indicate he developed a blood clot, a serious complication that contributed to his health crisis.
On October 4, it surfaced that Neretin paused work on the project due to health problems. He could not continue filming because he was in rehabilitation after suffering a minor stroke, with mobility and strength severely affected.
In February 2024 he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis of the hip joint following a fall down the stairs. The condition left him almost bedridden and struggling with daily life.
To obtain treatment in a private clinic, he needed help with housing and medicines. The project team stepped in to assist, but funds were not enough for a normal life. In the summer he underwent surgery and began to regain his footing.
Neretin played Nalivkin in a sketch show published on YouTube. The character was described as the chairman of the executive committee of Ussuriysk, representing the Ussuriysk region. The sketches tackled high profile events and national topics, including the fight against the coronavirus.
Participants in the Nalivkin project faced administrative and criminal liability. Neretin himself was detained for several days in 2020 for obscene language and drunkenness in public places, and a year later endured two more days of the same accusations.
Earlier in his career he was also known as a popular singer, adding to his public profile and versatility as a performer.
The death of Andrei Neretin closes a vivid chapter in online satire, where his work combined sharp social commentary with provocative humor.”