Who is Slawek Solbola? Vladimir Putin's doppelganger fears for his life amid Ukraine invasion
For eight years, 53-year-old Slawek Sobala held the distinction of being the world's only Vladimir Putin lookalike. Despite it not being his full-time job, he spent the best part of the last decade profiting off that similarly, while holding down his regular day job. However, with Russia now closing in on Ukraine's capital Kyiv, Sobala has confirmed he fears for his life, and no longer enjoys his unique looks.
The Russian President has become a pariah on the world stage after launching his invasion of Ukraine. Led by the US, western nations have imposed a range of crippling sanctions, leaving the Russian economy on the verge of collapse. Even Putin's staunchest allies appear to have distanced themselves from him, barring Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and former US President Donald Trump. Trump has spent the last few days heavily praising Putin as a "genius" and calling the invasion "savvy", even as Putin's actions are being called a war crime.
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Not only is Putin facing personal sanctions from the west, but he's also facing severe internal unrest with thousands of Russians taking to the streets, despite the risk of arrest. The International Criminal Court has also confirmed that it is opening a war crimes investigation into Putin, as the Russian strongman slowly loses his grip on Russia, the world, and reality. Unfortunately, it appears some of those consequences are also being felt indirectly by Sobala.
Who is Slawek Sobala?
The Polish national is a resident of Wroclaw, where around one in every ten residents is Ukrainian. The 53-year-old runs a transport company in the city as his day job, and notes the Putin-lookalike gigs are just for "extra income". According to one website, he merged his company with another firm to create Geoline Logistics, which operates not just in Poland but other European nations like Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.
Little else is known about Sobala, who maintains a pretty low profile. It's unclear how much he makes from his gigs at Putin's doppelgänger, but we do know it's quite a bit. He's represented by the UK-based Lookalikes Agency and has traveled around the world with his wife for gigs including video and photo shoots. "For me sometimes it's funny when we do this job and we meet other lookalikes and have fun but sometimes it's uncomfortable because when we are with the family and we walk on holiday, on the beach or in the restaurant, bar, people touch him and say: 'Hey, hey you look like Putin, can I get a picture with you?'," Sobala's wife Dorota told The Daily Star.
"It is sometimes very uncomfortable for me," she added. However, it appears it was something the couple got used to. They acknowledge it was "a good job" and paid well. However, with the war in Ukraine, Sobala's perception of Putin has changed, as has his love for his looks.
'I would like to help'
"Before the war, I wasn't afraid for my safety on the street, but now when the war started, when Putin attacked Ukraine I'm a little afraid because in our town Wroclaw, there's a lot of people from Ukraine who work and live here," Sobala said. He added, "Because of the war I'm a little afraid that these people could be angry or aggressive when they see me." The lookalike was also quick to distance himself from the Russian President.
"Because of the war with Ukraine my perception of Putin changed," he said, adding, "I had a lot of respect for him but now I think that this man did a lot of harm and I do not know today how I will play his role in the future." That said, Sobala is determined to help in any way he can, and is attempting to leverage his popularity. "I would like to help with my image of Putin, to show him the irony, that Putin also has a second face." He also stopped thinking about earning from his acting gigs and is instead focused on where he can do the most good.
Sobala said he tried to contact the Russian embassy in Poland and arrange a meeting with Putin and lamented "they do not allow him in such situations." When asked what he would say if a meeting was granted, Sobala responded, "I would ask him to look at me and think how you can have the same face but perceive the world differently."