Conservative MP mistakenly altered Hollywood actor’s photo for Putin’s new right-hand man in unfortunate post

Tobias Ellwood this week posted a photo criticizing Vladimir Putin’s new defense minister, criticizing his elaborate uniform.

The only problem? It wasn’t a real photo, but a Photoshop.

Ellwood, a Conservative MP who is also chairman of the defense select committee, shared an image of Andrey Belousov in a highly decorated military uniform, completely covered in medals and honours.

Ellwood posted on X: “This is General Andrey Belousov –

“He’s a trained economist – and now Russia’s new defense minister.

“Either he borrowed the uniform or he had a really good first day at the office.”

In fact – as X’s community notes show – it was a photo of the Russian assistant’s head photoshopped onto the body of Hollywood actor Jacob Isaacs.

Isaacs wore this exact outfit when he played Marshal Zhukov, the leader of the Soviet army, in the 2017 film The Death of Stalin.

The Conservative MP later deleted the post – but here’s a screenshot anyway.

And here’s a look at Isaacs’ character, wearing the exact same outfit seen in Ellwood’s post.

The film is actually a satirical film about the personality cult surrounding Stalin, and was later banned in Russia.

Belousov was promoted amid a shock reshuffle within Putin’s top brass earlier this week, after the Russian president suddenly fired his longtime ally, Sergei Shoigu, after 12 years in the role.

Reshuffles are incredibly rare in Russia, so they are seen as a sign of discontent within the Kremlin as the war in Ukraine drags on.