Pro-Russian blogger Gonzalo Lira allegedly dies in Ukrainian detention center
Pro-Russian blogger Gonzalo Lira, who held both U.S. and Chilean citizenship, has allegedly died in a Ukrainian detention center on Jan. 12, according to reports on X (Twitter).
This information has not been officially confirmed by Ukraine or the United States.
Kit Klarenberg, who works at the propaganda outlet Grayzone was among the first to report Lira’s death.
“Confirmed by his family,” wrote Klarenberg.
“I disagreed with him on just about everything. He shouldn’t have died in a Ukrainian jail though.”
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, known for his openly pro-Russian sentiments, also reported Lira’s death, citing an interview with his father as a source.
Read also: Pro-Russian blogger Gonzalo Lira detained in Kharkiv
Blogger Alex Rubinstein shared a letter on X (Twitter), allegedly written by Lira on Jan. 4, in which he complained about his health. The letter mentioned Lira having double pneumonia, pneumothorax, and a severe case of body swelling.
Lira’s father claimed, without evidence, that his son was “tortured” in the detention center.
American billionaire Elon Musk reacted to the news of the pro-Russian blogger’s death, stating, “This is super messed up!” in the comments section of a post by businessman David Sacks, a wealthy person who frequently repeats Russian propaganda on X (Twitter).
Lira, 55, was born in California and held dual citizenship in Chile. He began as a writer of detective novels and thrillers, transitioning to film in Chile. In the 2010s, he became an economic commentator for Business Insider, but 8 out of 10 of his articles were removed from the site.
Read also: Musk seeks explanation from Zelenskyy over pro-Russian blogger detention
In 2017, Lira, now calling himself “Coach Red Pill,” transitioned to selling pick-up techniquesand running a blog for men that provided dubious advice on relationships. He had over 300,000 subscribers on YouTube. His blog was criticized for perpetuating stereotypes about women, particularly related to their age and appearance.
Lira eventually relocated to Kharkiv, Ukraine and married a Ukrainian woman.
In November 2021, he deleted most relationship-related videos and began denying reports thatRussia was preparing for an invasion.
On Feb. 23, 2022, a day before the invasion, he arrived in Kyiv “on business.” As the full-scale attack unfolded, Lira actively covered events in Ukraine, echoing almost all of Russia’s propaganda points.
Read also: SBU nabs blogger sharing Ukrainian army movements on social media
Among other things, he accused NATO of “approaching” Russia’s borders, denied the Buchamassacre, spread fakes about biological weapons, and maps from the Russian Ministry of Defense. He claimed that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used drugs, alleged Ukraine was controlled by neo-Nazis, and insisted that Russia did not shoot at civilians, instead accusing the Armed Forces of Ukraine of war crimes.
Lira was later arrested for violating Ukraine’s laws against justifying Russian aggression against Ukraine. When he was released on bail, he posted a series of videos detailing how he planned to escape the country on a motorcycle and go to Hungary.
He was subsequently detained again.
We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
