Ukrainian-born ballet phenom Sergei Polunin was rewarded for backing Putin's attacks on his native country, but he appears to have fallen from Moscow's graces.

Sergei Polunin, a former star at London's Royal Ballet, said on Wednesday that he had decided to leave Russia with his family, complaining that his "soul" did not feel like it was in its right place.

Sergei Polunin, 35, was born in Ukraine but has lived in Russia and been a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin – going as far as having multiple tattoos of the Russian leader.