TRENDING: Russian YouTuber Vitaly gets flak for harassing Pinoys for content
Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy drew flak from social media users for harassing Filipinos while filming around Taguig City.
In his Kick video titled "Vitaly disturbing the peace in the Philippines" with a devil emoji, the content creator is seen messing around with Pinoys at Bonifacio Global City by riding a patrol motorcycle, stealing a security guard’s cap multiple times, and playing petty pranks with passersby.
At some point, the 33-year-old streamer can even be seen threatening to rob a woman as a prank, saying “I’m gonna f**king rob you,” before reaching for his bag and saying, “I’m gonna give you money. No? Okay, ‘cause you’ve got a COVID mask, you liberal f**k. Go get your vaccine,” while walking away.
He was also seen forcibly filming a security guard who called him out for it. Vitaly then mocked the latter by singing some lines from Lady Gaga’s Paparazzi.
Among other stunts he pulled was stealing a heavy-duty electric fan from a restaurant and bringing it inside a hotel.
Vitaly also drove a tricycle but eventually sideswiped a passenger and slightly crashed into a parked jeepney.
His pranks did not sit well among social media users.
“This is YouTube streamer Vitaly Zdorovetskiy who harassed Filipinos during a livestream in BGC. Please [Bureau of Immigration] and [CIDG-PNP], hunt this foreigner down and charge him with every relevant crime. Don’t let him do this to Filipinos in their own country,” an X user wrote in a post.
"Vitaly is going insane disturbing the peace in the Philippines," another one said as he posted a copy of the video on his X page.
A Facebook user also complained about his rude behavior in Boracay in March. "Never seen such arrogance. Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy came to We Sportz, disrespected our local staff, refused a safety helmet, then ran away—and told his livestream followers to 'destroy our business with fake reviews' [with one] star. We have video proof of everything, you can see," he said. "This is not just pathetic—it’s illegal, disgusting, and this person should get his lesson. What's wrong with people… really?"
The user even shared a link to an online petition to ban the vlogger "from all social media for cyberbullying in the Philippines."
In a statement sent to PhilSTAR L!fe on Wednesday, April 2, BGC said they are "actively coordinating with the appropriate authorities and are pursuing necessary legal measures to address the situation."
"Ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone in BGC remains our top priority. We continue to work closely with the authorities to uphold safety and security within the estate," they added.
Vitaly has been arrested multiple times for his publicity stunts. In 2016, he was nabbed for illegally climbing the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. In 2020, he was jailed for climbing one of the Pyramids of Giza, and in April of the same year, he was charged with aggravated battery for assaulting a woman who was jogging in Miami.
He has so far garnered over 10 million subscribers on YouTube.
L!fe has reached out to Vitaly for comment on the issue, but has yet to receive a reply.
