Pavel Gubarev, once a loyal supporter of Vladimir Putin and a key figure in Russia’s 2014 push to take control of parts of eastern Ukraine, has now spoken out strongly against the Russian president. He is urging the Russian army to turn against the government if a peace deal is signed to end the war in Ukraine. This is a surprising change coming from someone who used to be on Putin’s side, but Gubarev says he now sees things very differently.
Back in 2014, Gubarev was chosen as a pro-Russian governor in Donetsk and led protesters in taking over government buildings. He supported Putin’s efforts to annex parts of Ukraine and later even fought alongside Russian forces in the 2022 invasion. But now, instead of supporting the Kremlin, he’s warning that the Russian government is actually hurting its own people and doing more damage to the country than Ukraine or NATO ever have.
Gubarev believes that once the fighting stops, there will be pressure on Russian soldiers to give up their weapons and accept the government’s decisions. He’s telling them not to do that. He says that if the army lays down its weapons, it will be the same as surrendering Russia itself. He’s calling on the soldiers to stay strong and prepare to defend the nation—not just from enemies outside, but from the leaders inside the Kremlin.
He explained that the country is falling apart on the inside. He talked about the growing problems with Russia’s economy, people struggling in everyday life, and the possibility that Russia could actually lose the war. According to him, the government is falling back on fear to keep control. Everyone in power, from judges to police to government officials, is afraid of each other. No one trusts anyone, and everyone is just trying to protect themselves.
Gubarev said that under Putin, all the real institutions that make a country strong—like independent courts, honest media, and active community groups—have been destroyed. In their place are fake, controlled organisations that only exist to make the government look good. He also said that Putin has built a dangerous image of himself, where some people treat him like he’s a hero or even something greater, and that this blind loyalty keeps the system in place.
This message from Gubarev is especially shocking because it comes from someone who used to believe in Putin’s vision. But now he says the country is heading in the wrong direction, and it’s time for the people—especially the army—to be ready to protect Russia from its own government if things continue to get worse. His words suggest that even some of Putin’s old allies are now beginning to lose hope in the system and believe that real change may only come from within.
