Marilyn Cahatol

Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is presented to members of the media during a briefing at the Quezon City Reception House on April 7, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1748755389343488921376_1136909908484264_4604652878111556645_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is presented to members of the media during a briefing at the Quezon City Reception House on April 7, 2025. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, arrested in April for harassing Filipinos for content, will serve his sentence in a Philippine prison if convicted, Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said.</p><p>In a release, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Zdorovetskiy will be facing a trial next week for three counts of unjust vexation.</p><p>If convicted, the controversial vlogger may serve up to 18 months in jail, he added.</p><p>“We will service his sentence, sinigurado ko po ‘yun (I will make sure of that.),” he said.</p><p>Remulla explained that the arrested vlogger cannot be deported either to Russia, his home country, or the United States, where he is a green card holder.</p><p>Green card holders are non-citizens of the United States, but have lawful permanent residency in the country.</p><p>He said neither Russia nor the US want to receive him.</p><p>“So hindi namin alam kung saan siya papauwiin eh,” Remulla explained.</p><p>(We do not know where to deport him.)</p><p>Remulla added that Zdorovetskiy had written to him, pleading for the charges to be dropped, citing mental health issues.</p><p>The vlogger was arrested after videos of him harassing a security guard and passers-by in the Bonifacio Global City development in Taguig City.</p><p>The  videos also prompted the Bureau of Immigration to tag him as an “undesirable” foreign national.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/2/russian-american-vlogger-harassing-filipinos-in-bgc-arrested-2345">Russian vlogger harassing Filipinos in BGC arrested</a></div><p>A Change.org petition also alleged the vlogger verbally assaulted a Filipino surfing instructor in Boracay with “vulgar, sexually degrading remarks” during a safety briefing.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/7/dilg-russian-youtuber-vitaly-to-face-raps-in-ph-won-t-be-deported-yet-1534">DILG: Russian YouTuber Vitaly Zdorovetskiy to face raps in PH, won&#x27;t be deported yet</a></div><p>Zdorovetskiy, who has a reputation for prank and nuisance videos, has been compared to American vlogger Ramsey Khalid Ismael — better known as Johnny Somali — who is on trial in South Korea over similar stunts.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w03RukuzqQg?si=RYerFAYXvdd8DsaA" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Arrested Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who harassed Filipinos in public, will serve sentence in a Philippine prison, said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.</p>

Arrested Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who harassed Filipinos in public, will serve sentence in a Philippine prison, said Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

Deportation not an option, arrested Russian vlogger will serve sentence in PH

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Deportation not an option, arrested Russian vlogger will serve sentence in PH

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 01, 2025 01:52 PM PHT

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