The governor of the southern Samara region has become embroiled in controversy after reportedly making a lighthearted comment online about attending a bathhouse with sex workers and his staff, according to the exiled media outlet Vyorstka.

“To the bathhouse! Call the girls,” Governor Vyacheslav Fedorishchev allegedly posted on Thursday in the comments of a local opposition Telegram channel that has a reputation for criticizing him. The channel, named Sukhodrishchev, cleverly plays on both the governor’s name and a character from a 1995 Russian comedy.

Vyorstka stated that it confirmed the authenticity of these comments, which were allegedly made from the accounts of Fedorishchev and his aides, using leaked databases and insights from individuals familiar with the officials’ activities.

This exchange, which seemed to be an inside joke, was reportedly initiated by Fedorishchev himself without any involvement from his press team, as indicated by two officials from the Samara administration who spoke to Vyorstka. One source characterized it as the governor’s emotional reaction to online criticism.

When asked by reporters on Thursday, Fedorishchev denied any awareness of the Telegram channel, even though just the week prior he had referred to it as “an interesting channel that I read every morning.” Before leaving, the governor added: “But since you’re asking, tell everyone to switch to [the Kremlin-supported messaging app] Max.”

At just 36, Fedorishchev is the youngest regional governor in Russia and is viewed by Kremlin insiders as part of a new wave of officials who are media-savvy, engage in disputes with local business elites, and experiment with policies that Moscow favors but which are not well-received by local constituents.

However, his remarks about the bathhouse may have crossed a line. Local officials told Vyorstka that they anticipate his potential dismissal, pointing out that the governor himself hinted at rumors of a Kremlin summons in his comments on the Telegram channel.