A Russian businessman posted a $1 million bounty for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin in order to solidify his public image as a war criminal.
I did it because I want to change the perception of Putin from a ruler to a criminal and an illegitimate president.
Konanykhim says that Putin's allies will turn their backs on him because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Putin used to be good for business, but now he's bad for business. Oligarchs are trying to hide their assets. Their boats are being seized. They are trying to distance themselves from Putin so that everyone knows they are no longer friends.
On Wednesday, Roman Abramovich, a Russian billionaire who is close to Putin, announced that he would sell his soccer team and give the proceeds to victims of the Ukrainian war. It was a clear sign that the tide was turning.
In less than a week, the Russian oligarchs are no longer friends with Putin, and he knows it because he is not stupid.
Putin will be left alone as his fair weather friends abandon him, according to Konanykhim, who said it took just a week of war for billionaires to distance themselves from the Russian president.
Putin has power because he encourages fear from other people. He will lose power very fast if he starts looking like a loser.
The children of officials who are protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine on social media are also facing criticism from the Russian elite.
Konanykhim said he would be happy to pay $1 million to an officer who would execute his duty and capture Putin.
It would give me a lot of pleasure if I could pay a reward to the officer who captured Putin. It is not as easy as creating a posting and two days later someone knocks on the door holding Putin with a bag on his head. I understand that.
After moving to the U.S., he became anentrepreneur and the CEO of TransparentBusiness, as well as the executive producer of The Unicorn Hunters. He is comfortable with expressing his dissent on social media because he lives in California, rather than in Russia, where Putin has eliminated free media by criminalizing dissent. Putin has an army of trolls who police social media and look to punish users who create critical posts about the Russian government.
In Russia, people get jail sentences for posting something political against the government on social media. California is friendlier for self expression.
Konanykhim claims that one of his relatives in Russia shared his Facebook post that insulted Putin, and now risks arrest and prosecution.
Konanykhim told his family member to leave the country because he could get a long prison sentence.
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