Sawt Falasteen - Putin-tattooed dancer Polunin says leaving Russia

The Ukrainian-Russian dancer was one of the most prominent stars who backed Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and military offensive in Ukraine. He was rewarded with prestigious state posts.

In a rambling misspelled message on his social media, Polunin wrote: "My time in Russia ran out a long time ago, it seems at this moment that I have fulfilled my mission here."

The 35-year-old did not give a specific reason for leaving, but said that "a time comes when the soul feels it is not where it should be".

He said he was leaving with his family -- his wife Yelena and three children - but "where we will go is not clear so far".

In the summer, the dancer complained of a lack of security and said he was being followed.

Polunin, who was born in Ukraine, backed Putin's 2014 annexation of Crimea and gained Russian citizenship in 2019.

He was appointed head of a dance academy in Crimea's Sevastopol and director of the city's opera and ballet theatre, for which a large new building is under construction.

Last year he was decorated by Putin for his role in popularising dance.

Aged 13, Polunin won a scholarship to train at the Royal Ballet School in London and became its youngest ever principal dancer.

With his tattoos and rebellious attitude, he became known as the "bad boy of ballet" and caused a sensation by resigning from the Royal Ballet at the height of his fame in 2012.

Later he made a 2015 hit video to Irish musician Hozier's song "Take Me to Church" and was the star of a 2016 documentary called "Dancer".

He moved to perform at Moscow's Stanislavsky Musical Theatre's ballet before launching a solo career, starring in dance performances in roles including the mystic Grigory Rasputin.

In 2019 he posed for AFP with a large tattoo of Putin on his chest which he later supplemented with two Putin faces on either shoulder. He also has a large Ukrainian trident on his right hand.

This year he took part in Putin's campaign for reelection as a celebrity backer.

P.Tamimi--SF-PST