Ex-Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff has come under fire from fans for a string of since-deleted tweets which appeared to support Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The professional dancer, who hails from Russia, posted a caricature of Western leaders Boris Johnson, Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau standing on a pile of dead bodies.
Biden could be seen pointing in the meme with a speech bubble reading: “Russian man bad”, while Johnson cradles a glass of wine and Trudeau is wearing black face – references to their past controversies.
Kristina retweeted the cartoon and added: “Don’t even have to say anything – pure genius.”
She later launched into a social media rant, fuming that she cared more about her business than the invasion of the Ukraine – which has already claimed at least 198 lives.
She wrote: “I do want to focus on what sort of punishment @BorisJohnson will have for destroying my family run business and 1000 of others.
(Image: WireImage)
“Many of my friends LOST businesses bcs of gov lockdowns. Don’t give a sh** about the war but I do about the debt bcs of NO TRADING for 2yrs.”
Kristina also hit out at a Ukrainian journalist who posted about her mum fleeing the country.
She wrote: “Why don’t you report about everyone who was abused in Ukraine by extreme nationalists for 8 yrs prohibiting families to speak Russian language, terrorising peaceful Russian families which I know many who live in Ukraine.”
(Image: Mikhail Klimentyev/TASS)
And in another bold move, she accused western nations of using war as a “convenient” distraction from the Partygate scandal under Johnson’s government.
She wrote: “Biden can only change his diapers on his own, he can’t do anything else. People who control him know that war is very profitable. Let’s make sure war happens. At all costs.
“And isn’t it great that UK no longer angry at diabolical Boris Johnson parties. How convenient.”
(Image: TWITTER)
She further hit out at Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after announcing the UK would place sanctions against Russia.
Rihanoff said: “Nobody gives a flying monkey about your sanctions.
“Stand up first for UK & sort out your own s*** & get geography & history lesson next time you go to Russia to talk politics U R #embarrassing.”
(Image: TWITTER)
However, Rihanoff has further deleted her tweets and penned a lengthy explanation on social media, which read: “I made fun of Eurovision tweet by Sky. I did think there was far more important information on that day [than] Eurovision.
“This is in any form says I was supporting what’s happening at the moment between Russia & Ukraine. It’s absolutely devastating for someone like me [whose] grandad from Ukraine and I gave Ukrainian name to my daughter – Milena.
“My best friend is also from Ukraine. I grew up with knowledge that we were one nation and one country. I’m not into politics and hate politicians because THEY ALL LIE.”
(Image: Twitter)
It went on: “Seeing the news is breaking my heart as I have Russian friends who live in UKRAINE and vice versa.
“The awful thing is that there is casualties on both sides and on both sides mums & dads will cry for their lost relatives.
“The point is that this shouldn’t ever taken place, never should have happened. The country leaders should have found the way a long time ago to sort this peacefully but they didn’t bcs war is a profitable business and someone unfortunately making profit on this.”
She went on to insist: “I’m not supporting Putin, war, invasion, lost lives and politics. I hate it as much as a human being possibly can.
“If I offended anyone it wasn’t my intention and I’m deeply sorry.”
The statement concluded: “While I was born in Russia I left it 22yrs ago and an American citizen.
(Image: PA)
“So you can hate me if this will give you comfort but if I didn’t say something you wanted me to say it’s bcs sadly I’m powerless doing anything to help anyone in both countries and I don’t believe in useless posts which can’t help to [save] lives.
“I can only hope and pray like everyone that this is over soon. And it’s really sad that the hate is so powerful everywhere you look at the moment. The whole world is burning in it.”
The star summed up on Twitter: “It’s [sad] to see so much hatred so I just wanted to say things I really mean.”
But it might be too late for some fans – as many have sworn to unfollow Kristina after her controversial comments.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
