Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his immediate resignation today, citing a tweet from bestselling author Stephen King as the reason for his sudden departure.
In a tweet sent out earlier this morning, King, known for his horror novels such as “It” and “The Shining,” called on Putin to step down over his role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
“For the love of God, Russia, stop this pointless war in the Ukraine. Stop the bombing of unarmed civilians. Putin must step down.”, wrote King.
The tweet reportedly sent shockwaves through the Kremlin, with Putin calling for an emergency meeting with his cabinet.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said an anonymous source within the Russian government. “Here we are, trying to maintain our grip on power and assert our dominance on the world stage, and suddenly Putin’s like, ‘Nah, I’m good. Stephen King said I should step down.’ It was like something out of a horror novel.”
The move has been met with mixed reactions, with some praising King for his bold stance on human rights and foreign policy, while others have criticized him for overstepping his bounds as a fiction writer.
“Stephen King is a great storyteller, but he’s not a political expert,” said one commentator. “He should stick to writing about clowns and haunted hotels.”
In the meantime, Putin’s resignation has plunged Russia into political turmoil, with no clear successor in sight. Some have suggested that King himself may be next in line for the presidency, though the author has yet to comment on the matter.
“All I know is, I’m not moving to Moscow,” tweeted King. “Too cold. Plus, I’ve heard the internet’s not great there. #horror #terror“
