Jamaine Punzalan

Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdororvetskiy is presented to members of the media during a briefing at the Quezon City Reception House on April 7, 2025. Zdororvetskiy was arrested last April 3 and tagged as an undesirable foreign national after allegedly harassing security guards and stealing an industrial fan from a restaurant in Taguig City on Monday morning, March 31. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

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RUSSIAN VLOGGER VITALY ARREST

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176896356589820250407-dilg-zdororvetskiy-arrest-JC2231.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdororvetskiy 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/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Russian Vlogger Vitaly Zdororvetskiy 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/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy said his months-long stay in a Philippine jail “tried to break me but it built me.” </p><p>Zdorovetskiy was arrested by authorities for allegedly harassing people for content. He was <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/17/vlogger-vitaly-zdorovetskiy-deported-to-russia-2010">deported to Russia</a> earlier this month and was blacklisted from  returning to the Philippines. </p><p>Reflecting on his detention, the vlogger said, “After 290 days in the Philippines jail with rats, cockroaches, and +35 Celsius weather, I am finally free.”</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1768965588544blur.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Photo from VitalyTheGoat/X"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Photo from VitalyTheGoat/X</em></span></span></span></div><p>“They really tried to break me but it built me,” he said on social media, where he shared photos of his cramped jail cell.  </p><p>The vlogger claimed he “spent 91 days in complete isolation.”</p><p>“They wanted me gone but I’m here, all glory to GOD,” he added.  </p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:500px;display:block" width="500"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17689646221081768964618662.jpeg" style="width:500px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="500" alt="Photo from VitalyTheGoat/X"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><em>Photo from VitalyTheGoat/X</em></span></span></span></div><p>Vitaly was arrested in April 2025 and tagged as an undesirable foreign national after allegedly harassing security guards and stealing an industrial fan from a restaurant in Taguig City. </p><p>“Let this be a reminder to all our visitors here in the Philippines that we always welcome tourists and visitors. We treat them with respect, we accept them and we expect them to follow the same rules as we follow the same rules when we travel,” Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla previously said.  </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/1/18/bi-arrests-estonian-vlogger-over-harassment-stunts-1651">BI arrests Estonian vlogger over harassment stunts</a></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><iframe width="729" height="410" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H3UP3iZzpNw" title="Vitaly Zdorovetskiy ordered deported after serving sentence in PH | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy said his months-long stay in a Philippine jail “tried to break me but it built me.”</p>

Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy said his months-long stay in a Philippine jail “tried to break me but it built me.”

Vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy says after Philippine detention: ‘They really tried to break me but it built me’

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Vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy says after Philippine detention: ‘They really tried to break me but it built me’

Jamaine Punzalan

Published Jan 21, 2026 11:07 AM PHT

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Updated Jan 21, 2026 11:20 AM PHT

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