Garik Kharlamov is a Russian comedy actor, showman, singer, and television host, widely recognized under the pseudonym Garik "Bulldog" Kharlamov. Former participant of KVN teams "Moscow State University of Mechanical Engineering Team" and "NeZolotaya Molodyozh", resident of "Comedy Club", host of the reality show "Office", the program "Three Monkeys", and comedy formats "Bulldog Show" and "HB". Born on 28 February 1981 in Moscow, Russia.
Listening to this artist's tracks on official streaming platforms, social media, and other services indirectly contributes to financing the war — through taxes paid to the budget of the Russian Federation.
Garik Kharlamov's stance on the war in Ukraine
Support for the annexation of Crimea
In 2014, during the Euromaidan protests, Kharlamov stated that no one should interfere in Ukraine's internal affairs. Later, however, he claimed that Crimea is "primordially Russian land":
During the 2018 presidential election in Russia, he served as an official confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In November 2021, he was added to the database of the "Myrotvorets" website for openly justifying Russian aggression, participating in Russian propaganda activities against Ukraine, and attempting to legalize the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea by Russian invaders.
Reaction to the full-scale invasion
On the day of Russia's full-scale assault on independent Ukraine, Garik Kharlamov posted an image of a peace dove on Instagram with the text: "I sincerely hope and pray to God for peace! It shouldn't be like this anywhere" (the post was subsequently deleted). Kharlamov made no direct statements condemning the war, limiting himself to vague platitudes about "world peace".
Following the widespread discussions about whether Russians should feel ashamed of their country's actions, Garik replied:
I have never said that I am ashamed to be Russian. I am proud to be Russian. I am not a politician and not a military man. For me, it is a great tragedy when people take up arms. I desperately want people to stop dy*ng. #forpeace
Statements on the war and politics
On his Telegram channel, Kharlamov posted a video in which he used an "old man" filter to comment eccentrically about the "special operation", nuclear war, and UFOs.
In an interview with Abzats in March 2023, Kharlamov stated that "he does not want to discuss politics at this very second" when asked about his perspective on the "special operation". He also commented on his colleagues who left Russia due to their political stance (such as Semyon Slepakov), noting that "this is their personal choice" and that he still considers Slepakov a friend.
In September 2023, during an episode of Comedy Club on TNT, Garik unexpectedly mocked Western sanctions, the falling ruble, and Putin's "multi-move" geopolitical strategies by performing a satirical parody of Valery Leontiev's song "Deltaplan":
And the dollar already costs around a hundred rubles, almost a hundred rubles. And they're slapping together 'Moskvich' cars from Chinese auto parts for Muscovites. And entry is barred for Russians to 120 countries. To 130 countries. Please just tell us: do you have some kind of plan? Tell us, is there some kind of plan?
State television propagandist Vladimir Solovyov reacted with fury to this performance, immediately suggesting that Kharlamov be dispatched to the front lines.
Support for the official narrative
In September 2022, the comedian echoed the Kremlin's talking points and sang a song mocking "freezing Europe" and anti-Russian sanctions. He asserted that Russia would withstand the sanctions while Europe would struggle, explicitly targeting Lithuania:
All your sanctions we will be able to replace. But now you have the sun instead of lightbulbs. You can fry and boil on it... You didn't listen to us a thousand times, you should have just paid in rubles for the gas! And winter is coming soon too — greetings, Lithuania!
Ukrainian sanctions
On 19 October 2022, he was included in the Ukrainian sanctions list of individuals "who publicly call for aggressive war, justify, and recognize as legitimate the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territory".
Conclusion
Following the outbreak of the full-scale war, Kharlamov opted not to clash with the Russian state. He continued working on federal television, taking part in projects carrying state propaganda narratives, and circulating among celebrities supporting the war against Ukraine. Consequently, his cultivated persona of being "outside of politics" is completely contradicted by his past endorsement of the annexation of Crimea, his status as Vladimir Putin's election confidant, and his public conformism since 2022.
Да какой переобулся, спорный? Трус, *атник, пропагандист, не более. Начал только хвост прятать ближе к концу, когда розовые очки начали слетать, голову включать - от войны то только хуже им самим, русским. Если бы не было этих всех последствий негативных - хрен бы он поменял свое мнение. Лишь за свою шкуру переживает.