Navka congratulates Peskov on his birthday but faces criticism over the war

Olympic figure skating champion Tatiana Navka posted personal photos with her husband, Russian President's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, on Instagram. This was done to mark his 59th birthday.

Romantic greeting instead of congratulations

The 51-year-old athlete shared archival photographs and added an emotional caption: «Нехай ця мить "очі в очі" і наш з тобою погляд в один бік тривають вічно. З днем народження, коханий. Я завжди поруч» (May this moment of "eye to eye" and our gaze in the same direction last forever. Happy birthday, my love. I am always by your side).

The post quickly gained popularity: over 13,000 users liked it, and the number of comments reached 258. However, the tone of the discussion was unexpected for the couple.

Demands to stop the aggression

Instead of congratulations, Russians focused on the war against Ukraine. Among the replies, sharp remarks related to Russian aggression against Ukraine appeared.

One of the most prominent comments contained a call: «Спробуйте зупинити війну» (Try to stop the war). This remark gathered 259 likes. Another user with 189 likes wrote: «Я бажаю вам пережити те, що зараз переживають українці!» (I wish you to experience what Ukrainians are currently going through!).

Thus, a personal holiday became an occasion for a public discussion about the responsibility of Russian officials and their families.