A Russian computer programmer, who went viral for his remarkable resemblance to Leonardo DiCaprio, has been deployed to fight in the war against Ukraine after losing modeling opportunities due to weight gain.
Roman Burtzev first gained internet fame in 2016 after sharing a photo of himself on a dating site, which drew attention for his striking likeness to the famous actor. However, his popularity faded over time, and by 2021 he admitted, “The trouble began with the lockdown in April 2020, and now people have forgotten about me.”
Burtzev also revealed that weight gain led him to miss out on several modeling jobs, despite trying various weight-loss methods.
With the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Burtzev signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense, shifting from online fame to military service.
