Russian bodybuilder Kirill Tereshin has shared an update on his condition after undergoing surgery to drain his biceps, offering a grim new chapter in one of the internet’s most infamous body modification stories.
Tereshin, widely known online as “Bazooka Arms” and nicknamed the “Russian Popeye,” rose to global attention after injecting large amounts of synthol into his arms in pursuit of extreme size.
The practice caused his biceps to swell to a reported 24 inches, creating a cartoonish appearance (hence the nickname) that brought him viral fame and repeated warnings from medical professionals.
Despite those warnings, Tereshin continued injecting the substance for years. Now, following a recent operation to drain his arm, he has spoken publicly about his current state.
“The bazooka here, it’s been operated on, so you don’t think it’s an old video and so on. I don’t know what else I’ll be filming, I always enjoy life. If I’m not showing, it doesn’t mean that,” he said, via Generation Iron.
Tereshin first began injecting his biceps back in 2017, quickly becoming a social media sensation due to the sheer size and unnatural shape of his arms.
In March 2021, the consequences of those injections became unavoidable. Tereshin underwent surgery to remove some of the oils from his arms after doctors raised serious concerns about his health. At the time, it appeared to be a turning point, but later that same year he was warned that he was risking death if petroleum jelly was not fully removed from his biceps.
Tereshin shows off his arms:
The situation escalated further in November, when reports emerged claiming Tereshin was at risk of losing both arms due to a severe infection. The reports followed footage he shared showing a “burst” in his bicep, leaving behind a hole with what appeared to be rotting tissue.
Tereshin was quick to deny the most extreme claims, insisting his condition was being exaggerated online.
“Everything is fine with me. The tests went really well. 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,” he said at the time.
However, medical concerns have persisted. Photos and videos shared on social media have shown severe scarring, discolouration and open wounds, with doctors warning that if the infection cannot be stabilised, amputation may ultimately be the only option left.
Tereshin’s story has also been explored in the documentary BIGOREXIA, which examined muscle dysmorphia — a psychological condition where individuals perceive themselves as too small regardless of their actual size. The film followed Tereshin’s lifestyle and mindset, focusing on his continued use of synthol to artificially expand his muscles.
Synthol is an oil-based substance that hardens inside the body, creating the illusion of muscle growth rather than real strength. While banned by most professional bodybuilding federations, it remains visible online among amateurs chasing rapid visual results. Medical experts have long warned that the substance can cause embolism, nerve damage, muscle death and, in extreme cases, heart failure.
Those risks became reality for Tereshin during previous surgeries. In 2019, surgeons removed large amounts of damaged tissue from his arms in an attempt to save them. Dr Dmitry Melnikov, from Sechenov Moscow State Medical University, was among those involved and revealed that a 3lb lump of infected muscle and oil had been removed from one of Tereshin’s arms.
“Here it is, scar tissue with fragments of muscles,” Melnikov said 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.”
Even after that operation, Melnikov warned that only “25 percent of the repairs” had been completed and that Tereshin’s arms remained in serious danger.
Despite the severity of his condition, Tereshin continued to chase online attention.
At one point, he filmed himself holding pieces of flesh he claimed were removed from his arm, telling viewers: “These are my treasures. Get yourself a piece, it’s ‘sale’ time.”
Once a soldier and aspiring MMA fighter, Tereshin briefly stepped into combat sports but lost his MMA debut in Abakan, Russia.
For the man known worldwide as the “Russian Popeye,” the fight is no longer about size or attention — it’s about just holding onto his arms for good.
Featured image credit: Instagram/@kirilltereshin96 (screenshots)
