Russian pro-war blogger and military pilot Alexey Zemtsov, known by the call sign “Voevoda,” published several videos on April 15 that he described as farewell messages. In them, he said he intended to take his own life because of pressure from commanders, family problems, and the threat of a criminal case for “discrediting” the army.
Zemtsov served as a navigator on a Ka-52 helicopter, runs the Telegram channel “Voevoda Veshchaet,” and previously, by his account, helped administer the channel “Povernutye na Voyne.” In one address, he said goodbye to his parents and daughter and stated that he would not be able to endure the shame if the discreditation accusations were formally brought.
The blogger said his problems with superiors began after critical posts. He linked this, in particular, to Lieutenant General Vladimir Kravchenko’s reaction to a post about pilots being forced to do drill training after combat sorties. According to Zemtsov, he was later transferred to another unit and, in spring 2026, after being released from detention, was sent to Voronezh for platoon commander courses.
According to Zemtsov, he was placed in pretrial detention in October 2025 after a conflict with a man he suspected of having a relationship with his wife. He acknowledged beating the man, but insisted that the prospect of a discreditation case affected him most. At the time of publication, there was no public confirmation that such a case was being prepared.
“I won’t be able to survive this shame. I’m ready to answer for my own actions. Yes, I beat a man and I am guilty of that. But discrediting the Russian army — that is simply absurd,” Zemtsov said in one of the videos.
After the videos appeared, Telegram channels Shot, Mash, and Baza, which are close to law enforcement, reported that Zemtsov was believed to be alive. Shot said relatives prevented the suicide and that he then left his unit without authorization and is now being sought. Mash reported a search of his apartment with no body found, while Baza’s sources said he had contacted friends and might be in southern Russia.
Other Z bloggers also responded. Kirill Fedorov said Zemtsov had handed over administration of his channel to him. Fighterbomber questioned whether there were formal grounds for a discreditation case, while Anastasia Kashevarova expressed hope that Zemtsov was alive and said his supporters had previously tried to secure his transfer from harsher service conditions.