A Russian bodybuilder famous for his cartoonishly and synthetically inflated arms — created through dangerous oil injections — has spoken out after reportedly facing the possibility of losing both limbs after years of self-inflicted damage.
Kirill Tereshin, 29, became known worldwide as the “Russian Popeye” after injecting synthol, a mix of oil and painkillers, into his biceps to make them balloon to an unnatural 24 inches, The Sun reports.
But after years of warnings and failed surgeries, doctors in Russia now fear the severe infection spreading through his arms could lead to a double amputation.
Photos and footage shared online show Tereshin’s once-inflated biceps now visibly rotting, with one video capturing a gaping wound that he described as having “burst.” Medical staff say he will need several skin graft operations to save what’s left of his arms — but the procedures can’t be performed until his infection stabilises, the New York Post adds.
According to reports in Russia, time is running out. Doctors say his condition has worsened so severely that stabilising him for surgery may no longer be possible.
Reports of his deteriorating health and potential amputation have sparked concern across Russian media — but Tereshin himself has pushed back. In a recent YouTube video, he insisted the claims were exaggerated.
“Everything is fine with me, the tests went really well,” he said. “My arms are well enough for skin graft surgery, it will happen this week. They made up this false information. Before you listen to the Internet, first find out whether it’s true or not and don’t listen to these fairy tales.”
Still, medical experts say his condition is critical. Photos from his social accounts show severe scarring, discolouration, and visible open wounds. Doctors have warned that if the infection cannot be contained, amputation may be the only option left.
Tereshin’s rise to infamy began in 2017, when he started injecting synthol directly into his arms — a practice that immediately caught global attention. His bizarre proportions and self-styled nickname “Bazooka Arms” earned him a huge social media following, though medical professionals were quick to warn that his obsession was life-threatening.
The chemical injections caused tissue fibrosis and necrosis, effectively killing parts of his muscle. In 2019, surgeons cut out large amounts of damaged tissue in an attempt to save his arms, extracting what one doctor described as “pounds of petroleum jelly” mixed with scar tissue.
Dr Dmitry Melnikov, from Sechenov Moscow State Medical University, was among those who operated on him, revealing a 3lb lump of infected muscle and oil removed from one of Tereshin’s arms. “Here it is, scar tissue with fragments of muscles,” Melnikov said, warning him at the time: “The problem is that this is the petroleum jelly. You injected this so thoroughly that it spread in the muscle and killed it.”
After that surgery, Melnikov said only “25 percent of the repairs” had been completed — but Tereshin’s arms were still at serious risk.
Despite the warning, the former soldier continued chasing online attention, at times joking about his condition. After one operation, he even filmed himself holding pieces of flesh he claimed were extracted from his arm, saying, “These are my treasures. Get yourself a piece, it’s ‘sale’ time.”
A Grim Lesson in Extreme Body Modification
Tereshin’s story has long stood as a warning within bodybuilding circles about the dangers of synthol abuse, a practice banned by most professional federations but still seen online among amateur bodybuilders chasing rapid results. The compound, which is essentially a cosmetic filler, can lead to embolism, nerve damage, muscle death, and in severe cases, heart failure.
Once a soldier and aspiring MMA fighter, Tereshin’s physical transformation became a viral curiosity — but his brief brush with fame has been overshadowed by a painful decline. He even ventured into combat sports, only to lose his MMA debut “to some old guy” in Abakan, Russia.
Now, the man who once proudly posed with his ballooned biceps finds himself fighting to keep his arms at all. And for the “Russian Popeye,” that may be the toughest battle yet.
Featured image credit: YouTube/@РукиБазуки
