'NO to war!' Putin's own celebrity friend leads outrage at horror invasion

A well-known Russian public figure with personal ties to Vladimir Putin has broken ranks and publicly denounced the Kremlin’s military actions in Ukraine. Alongside her, numerous Russian celebrities have voiced their opposition, using social media to share messages of peace, including posts with black squares and the hashtag “#NoWar.”

In the early hours of Thursday, President Putin ordered a large-scale military offensive on Ukraine, framing it as a "special military operation" intended to "de-Nazify" the country—a justification widely rejected by international leaders.

Ksenia Sobchak, a media personality and former Russian presidential candidate, was among the first to speak out. Though she has denied being Putin’s goddaughter, she has acknowledged that he was present at her baptism. In a post made after the attack began, Sobchak shared:

"At six in the morning I was woken up with the words: 'Ksyusha, the war has started.'

Not on our land, but involving our people.

We Russians will be reckoning with today’s events for many years to come."

Popular actress and TV host Anastasia Ivleeva posted a symbolic black square on Instagram with the simple message: “No war.”

Actress Irina Starshenbaum expressed deep sorrow, writing:

"How did we reach this point? Nothing justifies war. I’m overwhelmed with pain and fear. Ukrainians, I’m sorry for my helplessness. We demand an end to this horror immediately."

Olympic figure skater Evgenia Medvedeva also reacted to the unfolding crisis, saying: “I hope this ends soon, like waking up from a nightmare.”

Ivan Urgant, one of Russia’s top television personalities, shared a somber note: “Fear and grief. No to war.”

Beyond celebrities, over 150 senior Russian government officials signed an open letter condemning the invasion. They described Putin’s actions as an “unprecedented atrocity” and warned of devastating consequences. The signatories include prominent municipal representatives such as Maxim Gongalsky, Polina Sizova, Elena Rusakova, Andrey Morev, Elena Kotenochkina, Elena Filina, David Kuvaev, and Anna Cherepanova.

In their joint statement, the officials emphasized that the majority of Russian citizens do not support the war. They held President Putin personally responsible and asserted that the attack lacked any legitimate justification. The letter urged the Russian public to raise their voices, arguing that only widespread public opposition could bring the aggression to a halt.

Such a public rebuke from government officials is rare in Russia, where dissent against Putin is typically met with severe repercussions. They warned that the invasion would trigger harsh global condemnation, economic isolation, inflation, and increased poverty within Russia.

Meanwhile, graphic images of injured Ukrainian civilians have circulated online, revealing the human cost of the conflict. While the Russian defense ministry insists that no harm is being done to civilians and that only precision weapons are being used, scenes on the ground tell a different story.

Ukrainian forces continue to defend their territory across all regions, battling to protect their cities, military facilities, and vital infrastructure from Russian control.