Topline
A Kremlin spokesperson took aim at Gerard Depardieu Friday after the French actor publicly criticized his former ally Russian President Vladimir Putin's "crazy, unacceptable excesses" — marking a public feud between the pair and increasing isolation of Putin over his decision to invade Ukraine.
Key Facts
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that Depardieu “most likely does not fully understand what is happening” in Ukraine after the actor criticized Putin, according to Agence France Presse.
Depardieu, who has had close ties to Putin since 2013 and even received a Russian passport directly from Putin, told AFP on Thursday the Russian people were “not responsible for the crazy, unacceptable excesses of their leaders like Vladimir Putin.”
The Kremlin said it would be “ready” to explain the situation in Ukraine so that “he understands better” if Depardieu “wants,” AFP reported.
Depardieu, who previously supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea, is “not completely immersed in the political agenda,” Peskov said.
Crucial Quote
Depardieu “does not understand what happened in Ukraine in 2014, he does not understand what the Minsk agreements are, he does not understand what Donetsk and Luhansk are, he hardly understands what is the bombing of civilians, he is unlikely to know about the nationalist elements,” Peskov said, according to Politico.
Key Background
Depardieu— who is best known for his roles in a host of French films, including Cyrano de Bergerac and The Last Metro— has had close ties to Putin since the actor renounced his French citizenship over tax complaints and moved to Russia. In 2015, the actor was banned from Ukraine for five years for supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea. But Depardieu criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shortly after the war began last month, telling AFP at the time that the two should “stop the weapons and negotiate.” "I am against this fratricidal war,” he said. The Kremlin’s spat with Depardieu comes as Putin is becoming increasingly isolated from both the West, with many countries imposing sanctions on the Kremlin and Russian oligarchs tied to Putin,, and potentially from those around him. U.S. officials this week suggested Putin’s advisors were “too afraid to tell him the truth” about how the war in Ukraine is going— although a Kremlin spokesperson denied that intelligence this week.
Further Reading
Depardieu denounces Putin's 'crazy excesses' in Ukraine (AFP)
Russia offers to educate Depardieu on Ukraine (AFP)
Kremlin hits back at French actor Gérard Depardieu over Putin criticism (Politico)
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