Heavyweight corruption: The symbol of Putin's regime became a viral star

Igor Chaika, a Russian senior official suffering from obesity, became a viral star after a press conference. The video garnered millions of views, but in Russia he is perceived as a symbol of government corruption, not a joke.

Igor Chaika, head of the Russian agency for relations with compatriots abroad, became a viral star after a short press conference of his went viral. The video, in which he addressed relations with Armenia, garnered about five million views on X, and users mocked his weight. However, in Russia Chaika is not seen as a joke, but as a symbol of government corruption. He is the son of former Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika. An investigation by Alexei Navalny from 2015 revealed that the family accumulated significant wealth through illegal winning of government tenders, with the help of individuals who were subordinate to the father. After the investigation, the family's assets were hidden in real estate records under codes. In 2022, the US imposed sanctions on Igor Chaika. Despite the scandals, in April of this year Putin appointed him to his current position, heading a government organization with a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars. An opposition source estimated that the role was intended to help him bypass sanctions and promote business abroad.