Nikita Kukushkin is a Russian theater and film actor, best known for his work at the Gogol Center, as well as a public activist and philanthropist. Born on November 14, 1990, in Moscow. He is the founder of the world's first mobile application for targeted assistance — the POMOSH ("HELP") project, launched in 2020.
Kukushkin's Position on the War in Ukraine
Following the start of the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, Nikita Kukushkin published an anti-war black square on his Instagram with the caption "we won't forget, but we will forgive."
Later, in a major interview with journalist Katerina Gordeeva, recorded in Berlin in January 2023, details of the actor's departure from Russia, his civic stance, and his attitude toward the war became known.
Until the closure of the Gogol Center in the summer of 2022 due to the theater's anti-war position, Kukushkin continued his theatrical work:
I continued doing it, first, because there were people there for whom working in the theater was their only livelihood, and second, our theater spoke every day about the issues that are paramount today. Third, for six months we did not take curtain calls; instead, we held up a dove of peace.
Following the outbreak of the war, his charitable project POMOSH began raising funds for Ukrainian refugees, gathering around 7 million rubles in the first few months. Meanwhile, Nikita himself legally withdrew from the foundation's founders to shield the project from government pressure caused by his stance.
Following the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia in September 2022, the actor left the country (he currently resides in Germany):
I was faced with a choice: either I must commit acts that are criminal in nature to me, or I end up behind bars and from there end up being sent to commit those same acts. I didn't see why I should take that risk and go down that road, so the choice was obvious to me. I have responsibilities toward people, toward my family. I don't really understand why I should be killing people.
I'm not leaving because I seek worldwide fame. I want to help my homeland. And that's why I'm leaving. Life must go on, and it's essential to influence the world in a positive way.
Regarding the young people who left Russia:
The people I met at the border were leaving with a single suitcase. They knew where they were going; they were not heading into comfort. For eight years, comfort was enjoyed by the children of civil servants whose parents sent them abroad, obtained residence permits for them, and bought them real estate.
Regarding the decision-makers:
The people who make decisions right now do not love their country. They love themselves in their country and their imaginary concept of the country, and those are completely different things. They love the flag, the bridge. That isn't the substance of a country, that's just the form. A country is its people.
Also in the interview, the actor speaks extensively about the necessity of Russia's national repentance before the people of Ukraine as the only path toward a future "social contract."
Parody of Putin
On February 24, 2023, he recorded a satirical video address by "Nevladimir Neputin" to the nation. The protagonist of the video asks forgiveness from the Ukrainian people for the "bloody slaughter" unleashed in Russia's name and calls the invasion senseless and treacherous. Kukushkin urges soldiers to leave the frontline, disobey "bloodthirsty orders," and avoid becoming hostages to someone else's ambitions, emphasizing that no one attacked Russia.
"Foreign Agent" Status
On February 16, 2024, he was designated a "foreign agent" by the Russian Ministry of Justice due to his open criticism of the "special military operation." According to media reports, despite the designation, he maintained business connections with Russia through an individual entrepreneur entity to receive royalties for film projects.
