Kremlin responds to influencer's viral criticism of Putin's information access

The Kremlin publicly addressed criticism from social media influencer Viktoria Bonya, who claimed top officials were not honestly briefing President Vladimir Putin about Russia's problems. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the assertion on Friday, stating Putin deals with the widest range of issues as head of state. Bonya's video, which garnered over 20 million views and 1.4 million likes, listed five specific problems she said officials were hiding. The Kremlin took the unusual step on Thursday of acknowledging her sharp criticism and said work was already underway to address the issues she identified. Bonya, known for reality TV appearances, expressed support for Putin while making her claims. Putin has ruled Russia as either president or prime minister since 1999. The video attracted more than 75,000 comments across social media platforms. This official response represents a rare public engagement with social media criticism directed at the government's communication channels.