Overnight, Victoria Bonya went from being a Russian influencer known for exercise routines and cosmetic endorsements into a catalyst for widespread public discontent about the state of her home country’s society and economy.
Bonya, a former television presenter in Russia who now makes a living as an influencer in Monaco, enjoyed the sort of virality most activists and politicians can only dream of in April, when she uploaded a screed critiquing Vladimir Putin’s handling of the Russian economy. The 18-minute video, posted to Instagram, has received around 32 million views and 1.7 million likes.
