Max Funnyadze, known publicly as Vusal Filimonov, is a blogger and satirist who has built a following by parodying public figures, including the Ukrainian president. Amid threats from some subscribers and sounds resembling shutters from a neighboring apartment, he reported to authorities through the Telegraph channel Attention, Moscow. The report notes that the blogger believed he was targeted after hearing sounds from above that suggested gun discharges. Those noises triggered memories of hostile comments scattered across social media, with anonymous posts alleging harm against him. After verifying several details, it appeared to him that an assassination plot might be unfolding against him. This assessment prompted a formal statement to law enforcement. Police arrived at the residence quickly, but the claim could not be corroborated on site. Officers checked the upstairs unit and spoke with a 29-year-old resident from the Moscow region who appeared unaware of any imminent danger. On Puree, a Telegram channel, there were additional postings claiming threats toward the blogger and even an announcement of his murder and home address published on the dark web. The statement also lists the accounts from which those threats originated.
The Adventures of Zelensky
Funnyadze rose to prominence largely through his collaboration with Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, who was featured in some of his video parodies of Zelensky. The first episode in this series appeared on Kadyrov’s page on VKontakte, with participants Vovan and Lexus involved in creating a skit that depicts Zelensky signing over acts of surrender and compliance with Russian demands traced back to the early stages of the ongoing conflict. In the spoof, Zelensky looks anxious as a hand rests on his shoulder while he announces surrender to Russian forces, and the camera reveals Kadyrov standing behind the so-called president. The dialogue includes a claim that, as Ukraine’s president and commander-in-chief, Zelensky accepts unconditional surrender of all Ukrainian armed forces under his banner and guarantees demilitarization within a month of signing. A later remark attributes the line to a figure named Ahmad.
As the scene shifts, Kadyrov comments that certain steps had long been overdue. The second video, posted July 7, 2022, shows Zelensky seeking entry to the Akhmat battalion after signing the surrender. Kadyrov’s channel frames Zelensky’s hesitation and suggests he is evaluating his own conduct in light of history. The narrative implies that Zelensky should make himself useful to society by joining the battalion, while Kadyrov denies a capitulated president any role and hints that NATO might recruit traitors like him. The third installment, published on July 11, continues the arc, describing Zelensky being escorted by security measures, though it does not specify which side he imagines joining. The clip features a shooting-range scene with a bag over Zelensky’s head and hints at entry into the Akhmat battalion, followed by a burst from a machine gun.
The fourth episode, released on September 11, claims the administration of Ukraine lies in Kadyrov’s hands, with a voiceover explaining, Now I’m running Ukraine; the move is described as long overdue. The accompanying footage notes the Verkhovna Rada’s vote to place Ukraine under the leadership of skeptical observers. In addition, Funnyadze’s YouTube channel hosts videos titled Fake from Zelya, where he adopts the President of Ukraine persona to address public sentiment, discuss foreign military assistance, and explain alleged preps for an attack on Belarus and the quantity of German Leopard tanks available to Ukrainian forces. These sequences illustrate a satirical project that blends political critique with performance art, using recognizable public figures to provoke discussion in the online arena. (Source attributions: Telegraph channel Attention, Moscow; Kadyrov’s public postings; VKontakte and YouTube channels involved in the parody series.)