Vladimir Putin has become the target of widespread mockery on social media, with AI-generated memes and videos lampooning his apparent fear of drone attacks and assassination attempts. The Russian president is reportedly concerned about disruptions to Saturday's Victory Day parade in Moscow, amid fears of a coup from his own entourage and increased threats from Ukrainian missiles and drones.
One viral AI video depicts a drone chasing Putin, with the Russian leader shouting, "A drone is chasing me. Get away from me! Stop! Police! Help!" The footage then switches to show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holding the controls. Other memes show Putin under an armour-plated umbrella, covered by anti-drone nets, or inside a metal cage typically used on armoured vehicles for drone protection.
Further images parody the parade itself, with soldiers marching alongside cardboard tanks, as the Kremlin has reportedly removed real tanks and missile carriers due to their deployment in Ukraine. One meme shows Putin pleading with Zelensky for a ceasefire to ensure the parade's safety, addressing him as "Mr Supreme Commander-in-Chief."
Another image depicts Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin pulling Putin into his mausoleum on Red Square, symbolically suggesting his time is up. A separate meme mocks Putin and former defence minister Sergei Shoigu leading "toilet troops," referencing the looting of toilets from Ukrainian homes by Russian forces. Social media user Sergey Afanasyev commented: "Putin is a war criminal who belongs not on the podium on 9 May, but in The Hague."
