Putin's dangerous friendships: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sharon Stone and all the stars who accepted Russian money

• Russian culture challenges Putin: Resignations, cancellations and museums closed

• Protests Culture revolts against Putin

Today he is possibly the most hated man on the planet.

No more epithets when it comes to describing the trail of

that he is leaving on Ukrainian lands.

But not so long ago that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin -and his select club of oligarchs, by extension- had a cohort that paid him infinite homage from the world of cinema and music.

They took photos with the Russian leader, played in

for the president and held him up as an example of a leader respectful of democratic values.

came to regard him as a "very, very interesting" man.

The list of images that today are difficult to digest is extensive.

They are the story of a collective blindness.

There are surreal scenes, like that of Putin singing

during a charity gala for children in Saint Petersburg in 2010 in front of the enthusiasm of

or

, a man who until recently considered Ukraine as "a part of Russia".

Just pull the file to find snapshots of

toasting with champagne with the Russian dictator -Putin sent him a telegram for his 80th birthday-, of

interviewing him with a mellifluous smile, or of

laughing in Moscow with the man perpetuated in power for 22 years.

At no time were the alarms raised, not even in the face of clues as strong as the military conflict in Georgia in the summer of 2008, or the poisoning of former dissident spy

in 2006, the man who lay dying for days in a London hospital after receiving

from two Russian agents.

Nor have the oligarchs had a problem so far surrounding themselves with familiar faces from the world of entertainment.

It was enough for them to pull the checkbook.

There is the example of the banker

's wedding in 2005 with the former Yugoslav beauty queen, Aleksandra Kokotovic.

He got

to perform three songs - at a rate of 1.2 million dollars each - and also got

There is nothing.

Melnichenko co-founded the MDM bank in 1993 and handled the accounts for the oligarch who perhaps owes Putin the most: Chelsea owner

, another big fan of big parties.

New Year's Eve 2015 in St. Barts next to his yacht of about

was enlivened by

with the presence of big Hollywood names like DiCaprio and George Lucas.

Presumably, the entourage of sycophants in Hollywood and other entertainment circles will be drastically reduced with the thunder of the bombs and the war crimes that already weigh on Putin's head.

He still has a few unconditional ones left.

the man with the ponytail, flying kicks and a handful of '90s action clunkers, became a Russian citizen in 2015 and calls Putin "one of humanity's great living leaders."

Mickey Rourke

, the former boxer and actor resurgent after his gritty performance in Darren Aronofsky's

met Putin years after winning the Golden Globe and shared the perceived good vibes after the encounter.

"I liked him, we got along very well and he seemed like

," he said.

And to Depardieu, the protagonist of

Putin has always been an admirable person, an actor very given to traveling to Russia frequently and even to

, where he has even met with the president,

.

In fact, he became a Russian citizen in 2013 in protest against French tax policy.

According to

, he took refuge in Putin's arms to evade taxes.

Now the conflict in Ukraine is "a fratricidal war" that must end.

"Stop the weapons and negotiate," she has asked.

Of the condemnation of Putin, at the moment nothing.

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Know more

• Russia

• Ukraine

• Julio Iglesias

• Vladimir Putin

• Georgia

• War Ukraine Russia

• movies

• music

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