Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy to Serve Jail Time in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who was arrested for live-streaming harassment incidents, will serve his sentence in the Philippines, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Remulla confirmed on Sunday that Zdorovetskiy will face trial next week for three counts of unjust vexation. If convicted, he could face imprisonment of three months to up to 18 months.

“We will serve his sentence; I made sure of that,” Remulla stated. The charges stem from Zdorovetskiy filming himself harassing individuals in public, including grabbing a security guard’s hat and attempting to seize a weapon.

Zdorovetskiy was arrested on April 3 and has remained in a Bureau of Immigration detention facility in Taguig City. His livestreams drew significant social media backlash, showcasing aggressive behavior that included threatening a woman and stealing items like an electric fan and a tricycle.

Remulla further explained that deportation is not an option for the vlogger since both Russia and the United States have refused to accept him back. “The problem is, Russia does not accept him, and the US, which he is a green card holder, also refuses to accept him,” he added.

The vlogger has reportedly reached out to Remulla, requesting that the charges against him be dropped, citing mental health issues as a concern.