Prominent pro-Putin ballet star Sergei Polunin says he's leaving Russia

Moscow — Former Royal Ballet star Sergei Polunin, famous for his tattoos of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Wednesday announced that he plans to leave Russia. The Ukrainian-Russian dancer was one of the most prominent stars who backed Russia's unilateral 2014 annexation of Crimea and its military assault on Ukraine. He was rewarded with prestigious state posts.

In a rambling, misspelled message on his Instagram account, Polunin wrote: "My time in Russia ran out a long time ago, it seems at this moment that I have fulfilled my mission here."

The post first appeared Sunday on his little-read Telegram account.